


40 Days

by Shawn30



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Ben and Rey against the galaxy, Ben-demption, Detailed Star Wars Universe, Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Drama/Romance/Erotica, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fucking, Long One-Shot, No slow burn!, PWP, Smut, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-31 07:22:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 36,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18586495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shawn30/pseuds/Shawn30
Summary: The sequel to "Razor Blades Edge" - Rey summons the remnants of the Resistance from across the stars to Ahch-Tu with the inconceivable news of Kylo Ren's turn from the Dark Side and their extremely dangerous plan to end the war once and for all. Navigating the complexities of the plan, along with her friends opinions, her intense Jedi training, and missing Ben converge to test her like never before. And never one known for his patience, can Ben truly stay away from her?





	40 Days

**Author's Note:**

> "It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow."   
> ~ Robert H. Schuller
> 
> "“Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won't either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.”   
> ~ Louise Erdrich
> 
> “I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together.”   
> ~ Lisa Kleypas

~~~~~~

Day 1

~~~~~~

 

The planet "Ahch-To"  
The Birthplace of the Jedi Order  
Temple Island  
The Unknown Regions

 

Peering to the heavens, Rose's gaze captured a night sky the color of Correlian Cylis wine as a sleek Tie-Silencer pierced through the clouds, aiming straight for the sandy beach where the haggard, exhausted remnants of the Resistance were all gathered. The intense unease around her was palpable in a way that didn't require the Force to perceive. Faces were etched in worry, clutching back-packs and satchels filled with what few possessions they had left. Others gripped their blasters, ever mindful of the constant threat they faced every single day of their lives. "You do realize this could be part of a First Order trap and we could be about to die, right?" 

There was no reply as Finn paced anxiously on her left, eyes focused on the fighter streaking across a constellation of stars, barely able to contain whatever surging energy was motivating his unrest. But she could tell it wasn't fear that was building inside the brave man she'd come to care for so deeply. So it could only mean one thing, and Rose tried her best to ignore the slight twinge of hurt that realization caused. "If this is a trick at least we'll all go together."

"Your positivity is blinding, Rose," Finn noted with a tiny sliver of humor as the fighter drew ever closer. He recognized the ship used by Kylo Ren and hoped this signaled his well-deserved death. At the very least Rey was alive, a cause for celebration in and of itself. Boots digging into the sandy shore, he felt a sense of hope that he hadn't for a very long time. The last of the Resistance were struggling, starving, heart weary, and minus even basic resources now. They were at the end of their rope. If this were a trick he knew they wouldn't be able to come back from it. But he had far more faith in Rey than that. "We aren't going to die, Rose. I heard Rey's voice same as you did, clear as day. If she says she has a plan and information that will help us, count on it. Force knows we need all the help we can get."

"For all our sakes, I hope you're right about her." Rose hung back with a couple of the Resistance fighters she knew as Finn walked forward towards the shoreline. The winds whipped the cool night air about as the black fighter slowed its descent, shifting sideways as its landing gear extended. The First Order Tie-Silencer descended safely, even as several Resistance fighters drew their blasters, ready for anything. Weary and broken, she wasn't sure they could survive even one more attack. 

That they had the energy to run even one more time. 

As the fighter's transparisteel canopy lifted, Rey leapt from the cockpit and raced into Finn's outstretched arms. Rose watched Finn swing the young Jedi around like she was the best thing that had ever existed, hugging her tightly as she clung to him. The bond they shared was undeniable, Rose noted, and then sighed. To see his eyes brimming with joy at the sight of another woman... to say it burned would have been an understatement. But who was she kidding. Rey was beautiful and powerful. And it was obvious she cared for Finn after seeing the reaction of glee when she saw him. But how much was an answer Rose wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"There's so much I have to tell you," Rey excitedly panted through her words, now clutching Finn's forearms as they soon became surrounded by a little over two dozen Resistance fighters. And then she shrieked when she was effortlessly hoisted off her feet again by another massive hug courtesy of a very enthusiastic Wookie who began growling his unique dialect in rapid fashion. "I'm alright, Chewie. I promise. Just put me down so I can breathe."

"Trust me, Chewie. I know the feeling," Finn noted, smiling when Chewbacca sat her back on her feet. "Rey, what happened? I was told you went to Snoke's ship and then nothing after that."

Blinking, Rey exhaled a story too long to tell. "I barely know where to begin. But I'm alright. How are you?"

"Still breathing. Oh, and I killed Captain Phasma among many other heroic things," he was happy to report with only a hint of macho sarcasm. 

For Rey, Finn was the closest thing she had to family, and his safety and well-being meant everything to her. She adored him to no end. And she feared how much she needed to request from him in the very near future. "So long as you're alive." And he was. Nothing else mattered.

"Well, we're all here like you asked. Oh, and there's someone I want you to meet..."

"So you're the Jedi I've heard so much about."

Before she could answer Finn, Rey turned around to find a very handsome, scruffy-faced gentleman approaching her with a hand extended. Her Force perception easily captured his genuine aura and devil-may-care charisma. He had the look of a rogue in his eyes. But there was a wild bravery as well. This one was a survivor, and he did it with style. "And you are?"

"Poe Dameron," he introduced with a nod and respectful handshake. And Rey was every bit as lovely as he had heard about. Hopefully she was as capable as Finn swore she was. "I'm the current leader of this humble band of freedom fighters." He watched her face withdraw in horror before quickly correcting her assumption. "The General is fine, I assure you. Leia and Master Skywalker will be here shortly. She appointed me the new leader and I'm just trying to wrap my head around how you acquired that amazing ship and escaped the First Order?"

Though she sensed a heartbeat of caution from him, Rey picked up on his hope that she was the answer they needed. "Just a moment, Poe," she politely side-stepped him when she saw the General, running into Leia's arms for a tight hug that for a brief moment made her feel close to Ben again. Though her warm eyes appeared tired with worry, Leia appeared as indomitable as ever. "It's so good to see you again, General."

"The feeling is mutual dear," Leia replied softly, so grateful Rey was alright. But she sensed there was far more at play here. Her Force-perception wasn't nearly on the level of Luke's, but she could feel a tremor when she concentrated. She relied on intuition far more than any Force abilities she had limited access too. "I get the feeling you have one hell of a story to tell."

Luke followed close behind his sister, who relinquished Rey. She hugged him next, clutching lightly to his robe. "Looks like you made it back alive, kid."

"More than alive, Master. I made it back with a plan." Rey settled on her heels, and then gently grasped Leia's hands. Her heart raced as she hoped to find the words to explain all that she had too. 

"Everyone!" her voice now boomed far larger than her size. Instinctively they formed a makeshift circle around her as she addressed the crowd. "What I have to tell all of you won't be easy to believe, but you must trust me that I am more committed than ever to taking the First Order down forever!" Booms of cheers sounded around her, yet she did not relinquish Leia's hands. The General was patient as she felt, and no doubt Luke did as well, a shift in the Force. "Allow me to be the first to share with you the good news that Supreme Leader Snoke is dead. He was killed by Kylo Ren to save my life."

Utter shock, whispered quires, and a deepening unease was palpable all around her. Rey knew initially their reactions weren't going to get any better. And there was no gentle, precise, or calculated way to deliver her next bit of incredible news s she dove right in. "Kylo Ren has turned from the Dark Side of the Force." Turning to Leia, who wore an unreadable yet vastly emotional expression as her hands trembled in Rey's. "I am sure of it. I am certain. I have seen it with my own two eyes. Together we destroyed the Supremacy. That monstrosity of a starship is no more. In addition, Ben has provided me with a fortune for our cause."

None of this made sense as Poe was shocked when the young Jedi suddenly flung a data-pad his way. Dialing into an encrypted account as Rey told him the sequence, the credits available were beyond his ability to make reason of. He blinked, his mind racing over the possibilities. "Thirty million credits? But..."

"I know how evil Kylo Ren has been, and how much pain he has caused each and every one of us and the galaxy at large. Personally, directly, and indirectly he has caused untold misery. But I also saw him turn from the Dark Side of the Force to save my life. And together we have a plan to destroy the First Order from within."

Shaking slightly until Luke's arm came around her shoulder to steady her, Leia turned to her brother, currently the most powerful Force user in the galaxy. Her voice trembled, "Do you feel it?" she asked with only a hint of hope after so long, not fully trusting her Force-perception where her son was involved. 

Summoning the will of the Force, Luke acknowledged that he did. "Ben has turned. I can feel it," he spoke quietly, and then he turned to Rey. "But if he has renounced the Dark Side, then where is he? Why would he not return with you?"

"He is assuming the vacant role as the new Supreme Leader." Regaining her balance and composure, Rey declared to her Master as hushed whispers surrounded her. Finn's face was a mask of anger and disbelief, his hate-filled contempt for the First Order and Kylo Ren clearly focused in his gaze. The young woman that came to stand at his side seemed to be trying to comfort him. Rey did not recognize her. "Look, everything I just said sounds unbelievable. But I need to explain everything that happened in detail, and I will shortly. But for now know this. The tide of the war has changed in our favor. And if we play this the right way… If we take our time, I promise you in the end, we will win the freedom so many of our friends, families, and loved ones died for. We are going to win this war! We are going to restore the Republic and the Jedi Order. And we are going to burn the First Order to the ground!"

 

******

4 Standard Hours Later

******

 

Onboard the Millennium Falcon  
Docked on the planet "Ahch-To"

 

Savoring the delicious taste of the warm, hearty seafood stew the Resistance's resident cook Kizor handed to her moments ago, Rey was a beacon of calm amidst the storm of passionate debating going on around her. She was listening intently, all while considering the fate of Han's old sensor-proof smuggling compartments above her head. Where they were located, close to the main circuitry panels, would likely be a smart location for the new cloaking device she intended to scavenge off of Ben's fighter. Rose had already scanned its schematics into a datapad, so all she needed to do was calibrate its parameters to the build of the Falcon, install, and pray that it wouldn't clash with some of the other heavily-modified electrical components.

The Millennium Falcon was hers now. 

Agreed upon by Chewie who would continue on as her co-pilot, per Han's wishes according to Leia. Truly appreciating that fact would come at a later date when she would be able to fully grasp the immense responsibility that came with command of this vessel. The Correlian Engineering Corporation's Light Freighter that exchanged hands a number of times before becoming Han Solo's supreme smuggling haven, that then evolved into the absolute symbol of the Rebellions legendary victory at Endor now belonged to her. 

To say there were immense shoes to fill would be a grand understatement. For the young woman who had owned so little in her life, this ship and its legacy were now hers to protect. And she had every intention of making her own mark on the galaxy. But as Finn engaged in, well-argued loudly with, one of the older Resistance members over her plan she knew that there was so much work to be done. Forty days looked like it barely scratched the surface of what she needed to accomplish. There was so much to learn about the role she was to play in the First Order, never mind that she was only in the early stages of defining that role. 

Or maybe it was just her heart was missing Ben already - aching for the sweet heat of his kiss and the promise of endless nights of wild passion in their bed. 

In their room. 

Ben and Rey together at last. She was ready to fight through anything to get there. Believed that was where her destiny awaited. By his side, and he by hers. Equals. United. She was all in!

But first things first. Having downed the entire bowl of stew in record time, Rey felt an absolute riot of emotion swirling wildly around the small group gathered inside the Millennium Falcon's inner cabin as she sat perched upon a small work-bench in the corner. Legs crossed, she had spoken for nearly three hours straight, detailing what was most important during her time with Ben while leaving out their new found intimacy. Actions of great Galactic significance were taking place as Finn, Poe, Leia, Luke, Rose and several others considered how best to proceed and should they at all. 

Quietly she summoned the Force to direct her focus in this moment. She needed to be sharp. The path she was on required an iron-clad will to see it through - her 'visitor' onboard Snoke's ship warned that she would have to tred so close to the Dark Side that she would have to fight to tell the difference between it and the Light. Quietly, in her most hidden moments, she was more curious than afraid   
of it. Nevertheless, she was now locked into an inevitable series of events with an unpredictable outcome.

Clearly on edge from today's unexpected events, Poe Dameron stood behind Niro's bulky tattooed frame, ghosting over the balding former hacker as the datapad Rey delivered was screened for any hidden encryption, tracking, or communicative applications. His partner Voe was outside ripping apart Rey's Tie-fighter, searching for homing beacons among other tracking devices. Not since he'd taken command as the new leader of the Resistance had he felt more anxious than he did at this very moment. "Come 'on, Niro. What's the word?"

Watching the intricately detailed scan reach its end, complete with a summary of its findings, Niro inched back on his chair from the console, and then stood and offered Poe his seat. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he gave a mighty exhale, craning his neck about. The pop was audible. "The datapad is clean and legit. The Banking Clan's code access is verified. We have full authorization over this account. The thirty million credits are available and   
untraceable," replied the ex-hacker/smuggler turned Resistance fighter noted. "Sir, this is the real deal."

Scatters of relief sounded as Poe began slowly pacing in the center of the cabin, head bowed, running anxious fingers through his short dark hair as he internally contemplated all the angles. His steps didn't halt until he stood before Leia and her brother. "What's your take on all of this, General?"

Softly massaging her temples, Leia remained silent for a time, still trying to wrap her mind around the cataclysmic news Rey returned with. Stress brought on by her unstable health, the fate of the Resistance, Han's death, and now Ben's unexpected turn from the Dark Side were taking a heavy toll on even her legendary resolve. "Poe, I know you don't know Rey, but I do. I trust her. I believe in her. So I need you to trust 'me'. I would operate from the assumption that every single thing she has told you is true. My personal faith in her is unwavering."

Poe gave a quiet nod, but then added, "Please don't be offended if I am concerned about the personal stake you have in this because it concerns your only son."

Leia waved off the murmurs of displeasure at Poe's query, her posture and expression as regal as ever. "With all our lives at stake you would be a fool not to question how deeply you can trust my thoughts considering how much I have vested in this," she noted with zero reprimand. "Nonetheless, I think this is our one shot in the dark at dismantling the First Order. I've been a part of many massive battles. I have fought wars on and off for the better part of four decades, and certainly all of my adult life. None of them led to a true and lasting peace, which is the entire reason the Resistance exists. Our purpose is to build a lasting peace. But this plan, unorthodox as it is, grants us a unique opportunity to take command of the First Order's military and immense resources. To turn that vile government against itself and restore the Republic."

Leia's co-sign carried the weight of the world. With all eyes on him, Poe remained silent, contemplating. This new role as leader was foreign to him, and yet he felt he was finally ready for it. Finally understood the patience and responsibility that came with the title. 

"I hate Kylo Ren," Poe stated without a shadow of a doubt, locking eyes with Leia. The expression she wore was one of deep understanding. And profound emotion. "He tortured me for hours. He has killed, directly or indirectly, more people I care about than I can count. Even his own father." He paused for but a moment, and noticed Rey veer away with an unmistakable look of pain. "Now I openly admit my knowledge of or belief in the Force is very limited." Turning his focus to Luke, humble eyes preceded, "Master Skywalker, help us among the uninformed to understand the Dark Side and how someone could turn from it? I need more than just Rey's word if I'm to believe that the man who has killed tens of thousands without mercy can suddenly turn good in a single day."

"I was hoping you'd start with one of the easier questions," Luke's gravelly voice turned good-natured before he took the serious route. "The Sith are an ancient order dedicated to the study of the Force. Only their principles differ from the Jedi - and it is those uninhibited principles that evolve ones intents and actions. The Sith are arrogantly passionate about their pursuit of absolute power. They become devoid of caring about the consequences of their actions. They are detached from the emotion of those consequences. They erase any restraint to achieve absolute power. To dwell within the Dark Side of the Force one must detach any reason that stands in the way of their pursuit of power. " 

"To turn from the Dark Side one must re-embrace the Light and reject the Sith agenda. They are driven by the emotions of anger, hate, and greed. One must resolve that their actions have caused pain and feel remorse for them. My Father went from being a deeply devoted husband and celebrated war-hero to a child-murderer in a matter of hours once he gave himself fully over to the Dark Side." Luke paused a moment. No matter how many decades removed he was from Darth Vader, the memory of that night in the Emperor's throne room would last for all his days. "It ravages your soul. Destroys who you once were. It owns you. A Sith deals in absolutes, you see. And to leave that behind is an absolute as well. One must be conflicted with the Light and motivated to want to change the course of one's life."

"Have any Sith in the past turned from the Dark Side?" Finn asked.

"My father, Anakin. Darth Sajar and Kel'eth Ur all turned from the Dark Side of the Force as full Sith Lords. It nearly drove them to madness, but it has been done before. It is not unheard of." And then the legendary Jedi added, "Know this. Snoke was no true Sith Lord. He was very powerful, yes, with the Dark Side of the Force. But he never studied the Ancient Sith Holocrons to follow the doctrine. He never took the title of Darth. That he trained Ben to a line that he himself never crossed is precisely why we are afforded this unexpected opportunity. Ben was conflicted by the call of the Light even after all his time spent in the Dark Side of the Force. Rey sensed this. She risked her life for it. She was the catalyst for his turn."

Finn's face contorted in disgust as he peered around the group. When Rey ducked her head he suddenly got a bad feeling that more happened than she was saying. "And you think this is real? That Kylo Ren somehow turned off his evil like a light switch?"

"I felt Ben's turn reverberate through the Force like a devastating storm. And it has cost him dearly, I assure you," Luke noted the angry disbelief around him, but pushed forward. "My father rediscovered the Light in the final moments of his life, and after all the horror Darth Vader caused he still saved my life." Favoring his sister with a humble expression, he concluded, "Ben has turned. The Light has claimed him once more. The great shift in the Force is because of him and Rey."

"Master Skywalker is correct," Rey re-entered the conversation, setting her empty bowl down onto the desk. Walking over to Finn, even though she was addressing the entire room, she peered into her dear friend's brown eyes. "I need you all to understand this. I toured the inconceivable interior of Snoke's ship with Ben. That one massive ship housed four million First Order officers." She paused letting that sink in. The memory of the gargantuan ship was burned into all of their memories. "It had an internal tram system that went on for miles. A ship so magnificent it had the capacity to house C-class Star Destroyers. I saw all of this with my own two eyes, and then Ben told me that three more were being built in the years to come. Three more," she emphasized powerfully. Dread surrounded her through the Force. "Our best starship is a seventy-seven year old modified smuggling freighter. The one cruiser we have left is heavily damaged, as are our fighters. Our allies are scattered across the stars and unsure we are even still alive. They themselves are just trying to survive and have nothing more that they can give us. All with the bravery to join the Resistance have, and are here on this planet. We are all that are left." 

Rey continued with bold conviction. "Up until right now we were very low on credits, have few allies, and no base of operations. Our numbers are below thirty. We are exhausted, running low on fuel and rations and every single thing else. We are at the very end and either we toss ourselves into the abyss or we adapt to a new strategy."

Immense pride swelled in Leia's chest at watching the commanding tone Rey spoke with as she took control of the room, owning everyone's attention. She sensed Luke's pride as well. Though young, Rey was going to be a force to be reckoned with for a very long time to come.

Grazing his fingers over the stubble over his chin, Poe walked up to Rey. The fire in her hazel eyes was startling. Beautiful and dangerous were two words that crossed his mind upon being in her presence. "Tell me your plan again?"

Sensing his approach was changing ever so, Rey collected her thoughts. "Forty days from today I will return to the First Order and join Ben as a High General in the military. Ben has assumed the role as the new Supreme Leader, and wields absolute power within the First Order. I will have rank and title and the ability to hand-pick my attending staff. Our focus at first will be to slowly alter the First Order's approach on slavery, its heavy-handed military approach to governing worlds, and secretly redistribute its wealth and resources to our causes. This will take time and be done in secret. Certain people will have to be removed permanently." There was no mistaking her meaning as it wasn't hidden in the least. Finn's eyes widened as he shook his head. Luke's thoughts were hidden from her, but his face spoke of the worry of just how close to the Dark Side she would allow into her life. "That is why we will want loyal Resistance fighters to be placed in key roles as Ben restructures the First Order hierarchy. We want to have full command of the finances and eventually the military."

"That's ambitious," Poe exhaled with a nod.

"It gives us a fighting chance," Rey fired back. "We don't have every single aspect planned out, and will need additional help." In that moment she spared a small glance at Finn, who seemed overwhelmingly angry and frustrated. "Over time we can secretly provide those resources and credits to the Resistance. We can take control from within, and then someday restore the Republic and freedom to the people. But it won't be easy or without sacrifice."

Poe glanced at Leia, who gave a small nod of agreement on Rey's behalf. He then turned his attention next to Luke, arms now crossed. "I don't know the how's or why's you turned your back on the Resistance for so many years, but I need to know where you stand now. If we're going to do this, then I need to know are you with us."

The legendary Jedi Master fixed Poe with a withering gaze that gently evolved into something wistful. For so many years Luke had closed himself off from the Force. Abandoned his faith and dependency on it, mired in such a state of self-loathing and overwhelming guilt that he had so utterly failed Han and Leia. Had failed Ben and the galaxy he'd helped to save. It took Rey's unwavering bravery to reawaken his own. The opportunity to not only aid the Resistance in restoring the Republic, but to somehow try and make things right with Ben... To fight by his sister's side once more. To honor Han's memory. The Force demanded he re-enter the fray. "I will train Rey in the ways of the Force. She will become a powerful Jedi. And I will stand with the Resistance until victory is achieved."

"If the Republic is to truly ascend from the ashes," Poe declared to the assembly, "Then it will need the Keepers of the Peace. The Jedi Order must rise again."

Luke pondered Poe's request with a somber expression. Such a task was harder than anyone could imagine. "That didn't turn out so good the last time I tried."

"We're all about second chances around here," Poe teased while sharing a momentary smile with Leia, knowing all too well how many she had granted him. "Everyone, listen closely. Nothing that we are trying to accomplish is personal. Take that out of the equation. We don't have the luxury of letting past mistakes govern our present. This Resistance will restore the Republic, end the war, and stand with the Jedi Order once again. This will happen because we have fought too hard, lost too much, and sacrificed everything to get here. We will make this work!" his voice boomed across the room as cheers broke out. 

Sensing a groundswell of hope and determination from everyone gathered here, Rey considered the new leader of the Resistance. She had to admit to herself Poe was a very handsome, blessed with eyes that dared a woman to resist - and yet resisting his allure felt like nothing at all. Ben was coursing through her veins and there was no getting around that. "We need to discuss another aspect of my plan. The Resistance must, in the eyes of the galaxy and the First Order, die."

"We must operate in secret from now on," Leia chimed in as she took center stage. "Like Rey explained earlier, for this to work the hierarchy of the First Order must trust that they have achieved total victory and any support we once had no longer exists. They need to drown in the absolute fact that the fear they wield now reigns without opposition."

A spark of inspiration was igniting in Poe's mind as he took in the devastating resolve written all over the faces of everyone in the room. Finn was deeply concerned, but ever ready to go for it. Luke, if it were somehow possible, appeared younger, wearing a gritty determination that they would need in the dark days ahead. Leia, as ever, conveyed an unbreakable will for justice. Rose, Niro, Kamas, Heron, Zed, and Jala looked rejuvenated in the wake of Rey's   
return.

Rey.

She was at the center of it all. Luke told him privately he had never seen anyone untrained that was as powerful with the Force as she was. And with training he hoped she could begin the true return of the Jedi Order. Finn, whom he trusted with his life, swore that Rey was the key to victory and that he believed in her.

It would have to be enough. The time for debate was over. The time for action was now. 

"The First Order believes it has won the war. We must reinforce that belief," Poe began as he slowly traversed the room. "Luke, begin Rey's training first thing tomorrow morning. Every seven standard days she gets two days off for missions. Teach her all that you can."

"I'll do my best to pass a Millennia's worth of knowledge in a couple of weeks," Luke dead-panned wearing a small grin, and then turned to Rey. "Training will be brutal, unfair, and unorthodox. You will be in the presence of fully trained Dark Side warriors. The Knights of Ren will have the benefit of their superior numbers and Sith abilities. You will..."

"We will," Rey amended with impact, mindful of the sudden unease she sensed around her. "Ben and I are united in the goal to take the First Order down."

"You trust him far more than any of us ever will," Finn declared with a mild glare, and then sighed. "You're going to be in the belly of the beast all alone, and no matter how capable you are you're going to need someone to watch your back."

"Ben will, just as I will watch his. But there are other elements as well..." her voice trailed off, but she kept Finn's gaze. Soon. Soon she'd have to ask him the hardest question ever. Mindful that all eyes were on them, especially Rose's curious stare, she settled back to her point. "Master Skywalker, I will be ready. I will work harder than I ever have before. I don't fear the Dark Side. I'm not afraid."

"You will be... whoa, Deja vu." Luke wondered if those around him were worried he was having a senior moment, but could have cared less. It was time to make things right. Ben turning was his nephew's chance at redemption. Perhaps now was   
his own. "Tomorrow morning at dawn. And we won't stop until the sun goes down or you collapse." And then he added in an ominous tone, his expression grave. "I will try to break you."

Rey looked Luke dead in the eyes. "Go for it."

Poe came before one his oldest friend's leaning against the back wall. Kamas, a dark-skinned pilot he'd met while being held captive on a prison barge five standard years ago was just about as crazy as he was. A bit of a hot-head, but his bravery was blinding. "Kam, you think any of your connections with the Hutt Clan are still around?"

Kamas grazed his heavy salt and pepper beard. "Though the Grand Hutt Council isn't as powerful as it once was, they still operate in the quietest fashion. So long as there are credits to be made they will be working the angles."

"Good thing we have thirty million of them," Poe smirked. "Put the word out that an anonymous buyer is seeking a Mon Calamari MC75 or MC85 cruiser. A buyer who will pay all cash with no questions asked."

"Sir, aren't those cruisers pretty old? Like older than Master Luke even?" Rose asked while standing next to Finn. 

Poe nodded. "Old, but heavily armed, fast, and reliable. The space that we would normally use to house fighters can be turned into a bio-dome for growing food onboard the ship."

"Wait a second? Finn chimed in. "Why would we have a cruiser that big with no fighters?"

"Because fighting has never won this war," Poe replied. "When we procure a second cruiser then we will house a small squadron of fighters. But to start with we need a powerful warship with the size to allow us to plan, train, and be able to cross the galaxy on as little fuel as possible. And every pilot knows those old Mon Calamari cruisers could cross nearly half the galaxy on a full fuel stock. And I don't know about any of you, but I don't ever again want to run out of fuel while being hunted."

Allowing a low uncustomary chuckle as Kamas was known for being all business, he couldn't help but to agree with his good friend. "I can put out some feelers. See if we get any bites. Might not hear anything right away, but eventually when word spreads about a cash buyer it'll attract attention. Money talks."

"Outer Rim dealers only, got it? We're going to stay as far away from the core worlds as possible," Poe pointed out. 

Kamas nodded his agreement. "Will do."

"When do we start scouting for a new home-base?" Jala brought up as it seemed the next logical step. A Twi'lek weapons expert with a prosthetic left arm, she was one of Leia's personal bodyguards and a good friend. "I've got some ideas if you're interested."

"Unnecessary," Poe noted to no small amount of shock. "Snoke taught us something with his extreme paranoia. That even though he controlled the most powerful military the galaxy had ever seen he didn't want to ever be in one place   
too long. The capitol of the First Order was housed on his ship. It was ever mobile. Ever capable of fully sustaining its crew. It created its own resources for the most part. We will now adopt that mentality. The Resistance will never again be stationed on a single world or moon, and then be forced to run like vermin in the night. We will use the technology Rey has brought us to outfit our cruiser with a cloaking device and eventually retro-engineer that tracking software that was used against us."

Jala looked to Rey, and then Poe. "I can scan that tracking device. I have a friend on Mordora who's an expert at re-engineering high-tech devices. We could get him to work on this right away."

Poe looked to her. "Take one of our remaining fighters, siphon fuel from the others, and make that your top priority as soon as possible. If we can track the First Order's military warships while hiding the location of our own, that would be an invaluable asset."

"We can work on it later on tonight," Rey noted to Jala.

"Sounds good. Can't wait."

Standing in the center of the room once more, Poe gave the mission statement. "Like Rey said earlier, this war won't be won overnight, nor will it be fought the way it was in the past. Tonight the Resistance dies and becomes more powerful than it has ever been before! We will spread news of the last of us disbanding for parts unknown, disenfranchised and homeless. We will cease all communication with our allies until we have procured our cruiser and Rey is with the First Order. Then and only then will we recruit a chosen few to aid us in our cause.

Leia smiled, ever pleased that she indeed made the right choice in giving command to Poe. The rash, impatient pilot was now showing all the attributes of a true leader. She'd seen that quality in him for quite some time, but to have it flourish was a sight to behold. "What about our immediate issues? Food, medical supplies, weapons, basic needs?"

"Finn, take Rose and four others. We'll send credits to an Outer Rim bank for you to pick up, buy supplies, and then return here in five days' time. After that, Finn - I want you to teach Rey every single thing you ever learned during your time in the First Order. Prepare her as best you can."

Finn crossed his arms. "Consider it done."

Poe again acknowledged Leia. "General, anything else you would like to suggest?"

"Rey spoke of the best way for her introduction into the First Order would be a show of true loyalty. Nothing would prove that greater than the deaths of the last Skywalkers. To that end, there are black-market Kamino scientists who still dabble in cloning. I think it's something we should look into."

"How would we find them?" Poe asked.

"I have some ideas. And a connection or two. Maz and Lando always have their ears to the ground. I know how to reach them and be quiet about it."

"Then I'll leave that in your more than capable hands." Poe stood tall, rejuvenated and ready to take this on. "Ladies and gentleman, let us toast the end of the Resistance - and the rebirth of the Resistance, the Republic, and the Jedi Order. TO VICTORY!" 

"TO VICTORY!" they all shouted in unison, their spirits lifted for the first time in ages.

As conversations and planning began in earnest while people exited the room, Rey walked over to Finn and Rose. She immediately sensed a closeness between them, though it was as uncertain as her own assumptions. "Finn, may I speak with you?"

"Hey, I'm ready to help in any..." Rose began, but was quickly cut off.

"Alone." 

Though there was no sting in Rey's voice nor malice in her eyes, Rose felt the verbal slap nonetheless. Rey wanted to be alone with Finn and she wasn't wanted. Perfect, Finn-worshipping Rey. Pretty Rey. Important Rey. Rose gave curt nod, and then politely excused herself without a second glance. She heard Rey try to say something to her before she left, but she just didn't care.

Rey exhaled deeply, now mad at herself, wincing. Her gaze softened. "That came out bad. I wasn't dismissing her. I don't know her. I'm sorry. I can tell you two are close."

Finn shook his head, eyes focused on Rose's fleeting form. "You could have been nicer. Rose is awesome. More than awesome, really."

"I'm sorry. I'll apologize just as soon as we talk. It's just... I..."

Finn moved in closer to her, speaking barely above a whisper as he peered around them, "More happened than you told the group and now you want to confide in your best friend?"

And there it was. An opening because somehow despite knowing him for such a small amount of time he already knew her so well. There was that warm smile that she adored. She adored him, period. Finn was family. But this information was delicate to say the least. And he wasn't going to like it one bit. "I... let's go to the cockpit. This conversation requires a shut door."

Reaching out to gently clasp her forearm, Finn teased a question. "Is this conversation going to require alcohol?"

Rey blinked. "Yes," she began. "Yes it will."

 

******

 

Shutting the Falcon's cockpit hatch for privacy, Finn leaned back against it while shoving his hands deep in his pockets. He watched Rey settle into the pilot's chair, which swallowed her petite frame. Nonetheless, she looked right in that chair. She owned that position and it fit her. This was her ship now. Its legacy was in good hands. But the weight of the entire galaxy was now on her shoulders and that was so unfair to him as no one person should ever be expected of so much. Yet he couldn't imagine a stronger person that could possibly bear the burden. "Just for the record, I think you are insane for trusting Kylo Ren and double-insane for willingly joining the First Order to ruin it from within." 

While doing her best to appear poised and focused, Rey gave a slightly amused roll of her eyes. "Is that all?"

With a small nod, Finn smiled and crossed his arms. "To summarize, I think you are Bantha-shit insane. I really do. But I still love you."

Feeling a calming sense of relief, Rey was thankful that his proclamation didn't carry with it a hint of anything more than dear friendship. This conversation was going to be hard enough without it carrying that bit of complicated baggage. "I love you too. And yes, I know this is all insane and everything is happening so fast I can barely wrap my head around it all - but you have to trust me. I am sure Ben Solo has returned."

At once her hand rose to rebuke his interjection. Extending his arms out, he surrendered the floor to her with a bit of a flourish. "Ben killed Snoke to save my life, and then we destroyed the Supremacy. We worked as a team the entire time. He provided us with millions of credits to rebuild the Resistance. He even gave me his personal starship and all the highly-advanced tech installed on it that we are going to put to such good use."

"But Kylo Ren..."

"No!" Rey bullied through Finn's use of that accursed name. "Ben Solo," she emphasized, "...is giving us our best shot at winning the war. And you know most of all how we won't win against the First Order's military. So we have to attack them in a different way."

Throughout her briefing Finn couldn't help but to agree with Rey's assessment of the First Order's military advantage. Having been a part of the First Order all his life, he was well aware of the hopelessness of engaging them in direct conflict. But here and now, he could tell there was more to her story than just taking down the First Order. No matter having known her for a short time, he sensed from the emotion swirling in her eyes that there was still more to this story. Key parts of the narrative were missing. "So you felt through the Force, and judging by his actions that you're willing to risk your life again for Ben Solo?"

Swallowing hard in the back of her throat, Rey didn't need the Force to see that the wheels were spinning in Finn's mind. She suddenly felt awkward. His gaze was piercing. Probing. "Yes."

Pushing off the cockpit hatch, Finn maneuvered into the co-pilots chair beside her, never taking his eyes off of hers. There was an anxiousness to her mood. Something on the tip of her tongue that she didn't quite seem comfortable revealing. His heart sank at the implications, but that didn't stop him from going straight in. "So, you and Ben," he noted softly, not so much in the form of question than a statement. When she briefly peered away all was   
revealed. "That's why you were on the Supremacy, wasn't it?" he concluded to no argument from Rey. "You thought you could turn him and you did."

"It wasn't... it wasn't that simple," Rey replied as she searched for the words to convey exactly what had happened to her. "You are right though. I was convinced Ben could be turned back to the light. I felt his conflict. The inner turmoil that was tearing him apart. That there was still good in him."

Finn's gaze narrowed. "How did 'you' know that?"

"We were able to communicate through the Force. We could see each other for short periods of time. And we did a few times. Don't ask me how." She hadn't unlocked the secrets of the Force. She knew that she was a secret of the Force, and the investigation into it was ongoing. "All I know is that the Force was guiding me to him." 

And then she paused ever so, "I had a vision when I was onboard the Supremacy. I shared a moment of clarity, for lack of a better term. I was gifted a small bit of knowledge. And I feel as though I am on the right path."

"But you and Ben?" Finn pinned her for an answer, not letting her change the subject. "Is there something between you two? Something personal?"

Lying to him wasn't an option. Wasn't her way. And she didn't regret a damn thing where Ben was concerned. "Yes, it is personal between us." she confessed directly, noting the utter shock written all over his face. "And if it were anyone other than you asking I would have already told them it's none of their Kriffing business."

With his hands gripping the armrest, Finn shook his head in utter disbelief. This was not happening. It just wasn't, but clearly it was. "I've watched him kill so many people, Rey. And the stories I heard from other First Order officers about the ways he could rip a person's mind apart until they had the mental capacity of a chair." In the face of such unspeakable horror she didn't flinch at his claim, but he knew she felt it. Was processing it in her own way. "Kylo Ren didn't discriminate about who he hurt. He didn't care. And he didn't hesitate. He was feared by those that were beyond cruel themselves." He leaned into her a bit, driving his point home with a fist to the palm of his hand. "Do you understand what I am saying? They were afraid of him, and they were all uncaring butchers. 'They' feared him. Didn't want to be anywhere near him."

"They were scared of Kylo Ren!" Rey directed back with fury. "So was I. But Ben Solo is not that man anymore. He has forsaken the Sith and the Dark Side."

Finn's jaw tightened as he tried to control his boiling emotions. Anger laced his voice, "You're ready to trust a moment with him over the mountain of evidence that he is a monster?"

"Yes. And doing that doesn't come with a complete forgive and forget card," she tried to explain. "He has committed atrocities. I am aware of that. It matters. It carries weight. But he takes full responsibility for all the evil he has done and that is why he is giving us our best fighting chance to end this war once and for all."

Rey watched Finn grim mood deepen as he struggled to understand. She continued even as he turned away from her. "Ben is trying to redeem himself in the only way he knows how. He is ready to make amends. To re-establish the Republic in the way it was supposed to be. As Supreme Leader, he could easily wipe us out. Or he could just walk away from it all. But he is staying in the trenches, risking his life to give us a fighting chance."

"Kylo Ren killed his own father," Finn hated to remind her. "Han is dead by his hands, Rey."

The devastation of Han's death and how much he meant to her in such a short period of time hadn't faded in the least. It was just another wound that left a scar. Rey had a great many of those. "Ben will have to live with the guilt and the shame of what he did for the rest of his life. The memory of murdering his father is a suffocating misery."

"And you believe him?"

"I do with all of my heart." 

Slumping back him the chair with a weary sigh, Finn shut his eyes. Having witnessed the horrors Kylo Ren was capable of first-hand, to think of him in any other way felt nearly impossible. "Rey, I admittedly don't understand the Force and how in the blink of an eye you can go from being a vicious murderer to someone who wants to suddenly walk away from the throne of the First Order to help all of the people he once terrorized." 

Finn watched Rey bite her tongue on whatever she was about to say. "Kylo Ren wanted to rule the galaxy and now he does. He is the single most powerful individual in the universe. And yet he suddenly wants to destroy his new empire and give all the power back to the people? It makes no sense."

Squinting her eyes through the stirrings of a headache, Rey could only give a subtle shrug. "Sometimes life just doesn't make sense, but that doesn't make it any less real," she offered, and then continued. "Finn, I don't claim to have all of the answers. I can't promise this won't blow up in my face. I'm flying by the seat of my pants just trying to make the best of a terrible, unpredictable situation. All that I have is what I felt from him through the Force and his actions after he turned." Shifting ever so from her dear friend, she felt his contemplative attention. He held his peace and she was thankful for a moment of pause. They were quiet for a long time before Finn finally broke the silence.

"Are you in love with Ben?"

Rey opened her mouth to answer, and then closed it quietly. Wisely. "I don't know myself or him well enough to honestly answer that. Not yet. But I do have very, very strong feelings for him. I want him in my life, and he wants me in his. We share a bond through the Force that I can't explain - but it is powerful and it is real." 

That was obvious to Finn from the moment she landed a few short hours ago until now her devotion to Ben Solo was unbreakable. They shared something he couldn't comprehend. That filled with him no small amount of dread, but he trusted her. And he was well aware of the truth of every single thing she said in her speech before the others. There was no armada to amass. No allies they hadn't already exhausted every favor with. There were no more tricks to play. No place even to run anymore. 

It was this plan - her plan, or oblivion. Finn accepted that during war they wouldn't be afforded easy, uncomplicated solutions. This was do or die. He resolved that this wasn't going to go in a direction that he liked. "I don't trust in the Force enough, nor do I know enough about it to understand this the way that you do. But we have to end this war and the First Order. Your plan is the best thing we have, so I got your back."

Relief fell over her in gentle waves. Rey's expression emerged into a tender, hopeful smile. "Even with Ben and I being..."

"Oh I don't like it," he was quick to point out, emphatically shaking his head. "Not one little bit."

Rey blinked a bit nervously, fearing what his meaning might imply. "Is it... I mean, are you..."

"Jealous?" She hesitated, and then nodded. "No," he reasoned with a deep sigh. "I'm not going to lie. When I first saw you I was very attracted to you. You're beautiful and I was raised in a very strict militaristic environment where relationships weren't possible. And I hadn't met a nice, pretty girl in a very long time," he smiled at her, exhaling a deep breath. "But that moment passed away quietly and now I think of you like a sister. An insane, powerful, strange sister. But jealousy isn't part of any issue I have with any of this." 

Finn continued, "It's because if you are wrong about him then this will cost you your life. And I would very much like you to stay alive." He grinned, but found that her expression was still guarded. Stoic even. "What is it?"

Rey sat up straight, squared her shoulders and then prepared to just jump off the cliff. There was no perfect way to ask this other than to just dive right in and go for it. "When I return to the First Order I need you to join me as a high-ranking member of the military so that I can have someone else I trust in my corner." 

There, she said it all, though was staring at the floor when she did. Upon lifting her head, she found his face literally frozen. As if the Force itself hit a galactic pause button on life. It would be hilarious if the moment wasn't so fragile.

And then Finn burst out laughing.

Rey watched him rise from the co-pilots chair, running a shaky hand over his head while peering out the cockpit window at the night sky and laughing his head off. 

"You have lost your Kriffing mind," Finn told her as he reclaimed the co-pilots chair, reclining as far back as it would go. "There is no way in Sith-Hell I would ever voluntarily return to the First Order. Not unless I wasn't breathing," he vowed with conviction. 

Rey slumped back in her chair. This wasn't unexpected. "Look, I know what I am asking is difficult."

"That's an understatement."

"And you would be risking your life."

"Not my favorite thing to do."

"And I know you hate the First Order."

"Hate isn't a strong enough word. In fact I don't think that word even exists."

"So the idea of rejoining them must seem disgusting."

"Like eating a Bantha-shit sandwich. Two of them."

"That's a terrible visual, Finn."

"No, me being in a First Order uniform again would be a terrible visual. Or you and Ben kissing. Or worse..." And when her cheeks reddened ever so, he knew. He just Kriffing knew. His frown was epic. "Oh Rey, you didn't."

"... I did and it was awesome! And I look forward to doing it plenty..."

"Please just stop right there! I'll do anything if you just stop right there!"

"Anything like join me on a suicide mission to infiltrate the First Order hierarchy and slowly take control and ruin it from within, thus ending the war and restoring the Senate and the Galactic Republic?"

The hopeful zeal of her voice and her hilarious attempt to not smirk were failing mightily. Alas, Finn was sure the girl could talk him into just about anything. But as close as he was to saying yes to this insane plan of hers, another somber consideration came into play. One that he'd only in recent days contemplated. Even speaking of it aloud surprised him. "The First Order takes children and indoctrinates them with their warped ideals. It's a fancy way of saying you're brainwashed and enslaved by them at such a young age you that believe every single thing they are telling you is true. But they keep records of those taken."

Rey followed his line of thought. "You want to know where you came from and if you have any family left out there?"

Finn gave a slow, thoughtful nod. "I do, but then again I don't. What if I don't like what I find? Or what if there's nothing to find at all?"

Rey could certainly relate to that one. Could still hear the past whispering behind her. "I would want to know. Even if it's just to close that book forever."

Finn almost forgot about her hard upbringing on Jakku. There were parallels to their lives and perhaps that was why they were so close. A shared understanding of a life few could comprehend. In that moment he couldn't imagine how he could even be considering her offer despite it all. But maybe, just maybe, he could finally close that time in his life for good. "Joining the First Order will change you, Rey. There is no doing this halfway. If you want the Hierarchy to believe you are one of them, completely dedicated to holding onto the First Order's grip on the galaxy, then you will have to do terrible things to prove your loyalty."

"And I will work behind the scenes to take them down once and for all. To bury them and every single ideal the First Order was built on." And then she graced him with a confident expression. "But yes, Ben prepared me for this. There will be dark times ahead. I will have to gain their trust. I'm not naive to the fact that I will have to get my hands dirty."

"How can you be so sure the thrill of being with Ben and having all the power and influence of the First Order's limitless resources that won't corrupt you into becoming someone you can't recognize?"

"Because I won't!" she replied with strong conviction. "No matter what happens, I'll stop my fall before I hit the bottom. I'll find a way to hold onto who I am and what I know is right. And that's why I need you with me. To keep me focused and to have my back. To shake sense into me if you have too. To guide me to become what the First Order expects." She watched as Finn buried his face in his hands and felt guilty for asking so much of him. "You have spent your entire life with them. You know what will be expected of me better than anyone other than Ben. And you won't ever lie to me. That makes your presence priceless to me."

Rey reached for his hands, clasping them in her own. "What I am asking you is dangerous, unfair, and is something I know you detest. I would not do so if I weren't sure we could do this. That this was our last, best shot at ending the war and making every single life lost during it count for something." She looked in directly in the eyes. "I need you with me."

Finn's mind raced through the many probable and terrible outcomes if he went along with her plan as he wasn't trusting this Ben Solo guy in any way just yet. But he would never forgive himself if something happened to her and he had stayed behind. "We would be going there to rip apart the First Order from within, right? Not to rule it. Not to enjoy the power, but to systematically break it down? To poison it? To kill it?"

"Yes," she voiced beyond a shadow of a doubt. "We will have the Supreme Leader and myself removing those that would challenge Kylo Ren's rule." Finn winced, but then quickly buried the emotion. Yes, he understood. She would have to kill people. Lie. Betray. All in the name of ending a horrible war that had lasted over nearly two decades and was responsible for the death of millions. When weighed against that any sacrifice was acceptable. "Ben knows about your role in this. He was the one who suggested it."

Finn's eyes grew like saucers. "You're kidding?"

"I'm not. No matter the feelings we share he knows there isn't anyone I trust more than you." 

Shutting his eyes for a moment, Finn squeezed her hands in his. Going back to the First Order felt like a crushing nightmare, but maybe - just maybe they could rise from it. Overcome all that evil and end this war. He thought of the millions of credits the Resistance now had. How they could truly plan and rebuild, all while having the absolute power within the First Order at their command. 

Of course Kylo Ren could betray them both as soon as they got off the starship and kill them. He felt that absolutely could happen.

But what if it didn't? 

Finn knew this choice was inevitable the moment she asked. There was no other way and no one else that could possibly pull this off. "I'll go with you if you promise to not ever have sex with Ben again."

".... what the Kriff..." and then he was wearing that daring smirk of his, and she felt tears play at her eyes. 

Finn smiled as they enjoyed the moment. "Together again, huh?"

"Wouldn't miss it."

"How we doing?"

"Same as always."

"That bad, huh?"

And then Finn and Rey hugged for the longest time.

 

*******

Day 23

*******

 

An underground cave several miles north of the Resistance settlement   
Temple Island   
Ahch-To  
Early morning hours

 

Wearing a grim expression etched in unbreakable determination, Rey hunted the Dark Side of the Force.

Her prey was the Order of the Sith and its legacy. Where there should have been a knot of cold fear gripping her heart in an uncaring fist until it bled, there was a scorched furnace in her chest expanding with roaring flames barely able to be contained lest they set fire to everything around her. For she could recognize fear as one did an old friend, but treated it as the past left behind her.

There was no place for fear here. Not inside of her. Not anymore.

With an aura of death surrounding every breath she inhaled, Rey ventured deeper into the ancient misty caverns that were home to a presence of pure evil. She traversed a dangerous network of heavily flooded caves that tested her well-honed survival instincts to their limits. Slithering insectoid lifeforms crawled around her as she made her way through jagged rock formations likely centuries old. 

History lived here. Ugly, vile history. The kind that should never see the light of day again. according to Master Skywalker, the Jedi of old used this place as Force-prison of sorts. She felt this place as strong with the Light, but infected with the Dark as well. 

Trusting in the Force as her ally like never before, her senses were sharper than they had ever been. Alert. On edge. Where there was an absence of light in a winding shadowy passage, she could see in the dark. Where there was no more space to maneuver, she found a way to contort her slender frame to make it work. Found a way. Pushed past her limits. When exhaustion threatened at the fringe of her mind, she tapped into a limitless well of strength and pushed onward. 

Rey braved the dark depths of this dangerous subterranean underground, seeking an ominous Sith relic Master Skywalker had 'tamed' long ago after the Rebellion's victory at Endor. 

Her crash course in swimming the last week paid off in spades here, so much so that she owed Finn big-time once they saved the galaxy. For now she had to keep her wits about her as she swam from water to land and then back again through murky underwater depths and frigid temperatures. She was warned of hypothermia, and had prepared as best she could with Poe's assistance. There were no dedicated safe-routes to navigate here. What she sought was meant to remain buried for all time.

Standing before a great challenge, Rey intensified her focus. She took off in a sprint and then leapt across a massive gorge that boasted a seemingly bottomless pit below, landing with such confidence on the other side that she   
surprised herself. Then again, she'd worked tirelessly in recent weeks to trust in the Force and her strength in it. To trust in herself. 

Rey's Force-abilities were growing at an accelerated pace. Thirteen-hour days training with Masker Skywalker saw her knowledge base in the Force grow from a tiny pebble to a small boulder, but was aided by her relentless drive to grow stronger. Her dedication was tireless. Master Skywalker had warned that he wanted to break her. He was trying to do just that with how grueling her training was, both mentally and physically. 

But she was not so easily broken.

With no definitive map to guide her through these seemingly endless caverns, Master Skywalker's instructions were clear. Reaching out through the Force, she drew upon the cursed whispers of the Dark Side so that she might trace their origin. Exhaling puffs of cool air as she deftly climbed down a narrow jagged wall of rock, upon reaching the bottom she carefully navigated the extremely harsh terrain nearly in the dark. Smoke billowed high from deep cracks in the ground, raising the temperature dramatically as her backpack pulled tight over her shoulders. 

Rey cleared her thoughts, sharpening her focus on the task at hand - trusting in the Light even as she sought the Dark. 

By her wrist-comms readout she was nearly two standard miles below ground, and yet unnatural emerald light flared around her on this bottom level. Evil was here, there could be no doubt it. Though her form-fitting clothes were covered in dirt and mud, her limbs sore from the hard climbs she had to make, she suddenly felt waves of conflict growing around her. An incoming danger as she walked forward, ready to meet it head-on. 

Noticing something ominous not that far ahead in the distance, Rey ignited her newly-repaired lightsaber and held its bright glow up to a towering stone wall. Instantly she felt a connection deeper than she'd ever felt before sear into her. 

Engravings of ancient Jedi symbols she'd only seen in the ancient Jedi texts had to have been thousands of years old. The Jedi Order had kept watch over the galaxy for untold centuries, and though they fell, the good they accomplished could never be denied. While it was true they'd grown stagnant and far too full of themselves - their mandate, their reason for being remained true.

They were the Keepers of the Peace, and had done so for so long they became overconfident they could never be defeated. And then they were.

All to human, the Jedi were in the end. Flawed. Full of themselves. And yet redeemed by Master Skywalker's courage and his father's sacrifice. But even the legendary Jedi of old who defeated the Sith were unable to accept their most personal failure. They had utterly lost their way.

Rey's evolving perspective since leaving Jakku had grown in the sense that people just weren't perfect. They made mistakes. Sometimes truly damning ones. Lost sight of the difference between self and selflessness. Sometimes good people made very bad choices. Ego and pride weren't Sith traits as the Jedi suffered them both greatly. But they could be redeemed. They could grow and heal and try to make amends. That was the basis of hope, that change was possible.

Instead of damning the collective legacy of the Jedi Order, Rey set to purpose adding her own to it. Had decided that becoming a Jedi Knight and rebuilding the Order was now a part of her future. She wanted to own stock in that reality. Wanted her fingerprints over something far greater than herself. A future as a Keeper of the Peace and also wanting Ben at her side felt like wanting to much. 

But why should she spend the rest of her life disappointed? Why should she believe that there was nothing in front of her any better than what was already behind her? Who told her that couldn't have it all if she put the Kriffing work into attaining it? The ignorance of such thoughts angered her deeply. How many years had she longed for her parents to return with an amazing explanation why they abandoned her that would heal her every emotional wound for all the years she struggled all by herself as a child in a desert wasteland? 

No, Rey knew she didn't need anyone to give her happiness. No one was in charge of her joy or what fulfilled her spirit. She had to have the will to go after it, to take it, and she set her every direction to do just that. 

Crossing into a widely expansive area howling with maniacal whispers, she felt gusts warm air baring an aroma of death surround her. Horrid. Evil. Digging her feet into the muddy ground, she reached out with the Force, searching for the source of this great unease. She knew she had to be close to the Relic now. Luke told her he hid it deep inside the caverns beneath the very foundation of the First Jedi Temple. 

The relic in particular she was supposed to find and commune with - to be educated by the Dark Side to live among Sith and yet remain in the Light had to be in this direction. As it was, she was four hours into her expedition, and once she found the Relic she would build a camp. Luke wanted her to remain down here alone for four full days. This was the first of her Jedi trials as mandated by him. 

Through the Force she could sense the Dark Side pulsing. Slithering around her subconscious. Worry swept through her, but she refocused on the Light, drawing upon its peace in the face of the unknown. 

Navigating around jagged chunks of rubble at the end of an ancient inner cave, she slowly walked across jet-black sand as the sound of rushing water grew louder. Stopping at the shore of a dark pool, she found a withered stone-stand covered in powerful Jedi symbolism, seemingly at war with the Sith Holocron perched on top. 

As she walked forward, Rey eyed the Relic closely. Pyramidal in shape, ancient Sith hieroglyphs were etched upon its gleaming golden exterior. She was unable to decipher the ancient inscriptions lining the bottom, but felt the dark incantations all over its smooth surface as if they were whispering to her. No doubt it was written in the Sith language, and she tucked a desire to learn it in the back of her mind. At the apex of the Holocron rested a small dark crystal that seemed the focal point of the Dark Side itself. 

Summoning all her courage in the presence of such pure evil, Rey did as she was instructed. Reaching out, she softly made contact with the tip of the Holocron, and then retreated backward a couple of steps when it began to shift in and out of focus, somehow swallowing the very light around it like a black hole. 

Somehow coming to life.

'Who summons me?'

Quickly igniting her lightsaber as the archaic voice somehow echoed all around her, she aimed the blade at the Holocron. "My name is Rey. I'm a Jedi apprentice to Master Luke Skywalker. I seek training in the Sith art of Buried Presence."

'My art...'

"So I was told," Rey answered as the Holocron seemingly paused in mid-air, assessing her. The sense of malevolent intent was nearly overwhelming. She felt its oppressive glare.

'And do you know who I am?'

"Darth Sidious." A slow, maniacal laugh cackled in the space around her. One that left her very her bones frigid. She held her lightsaber steady.

'So the son of my murderer now sends his apprentice to his greatest enemy for training. How perfect in its irony.'

Impatient, Rey minced no words with this monster. Even as its vile presence felt everywhere at once. She stood tall. "I seek the knowledge of how to cloak the entirety of my Force presence from Force-users no matter how powerful they are. Just as you did before the Jedi Masters of your day."

There was a pause. A hollow silence devoid of feeling. 'Such a power is unnatural, young Jedi,' Darth Sidious quietly warned in a tone far less malicious than nurturing. But no less lethal. 'Know this. The Dark Side will collect its due in exchange for such valuable knowledge. Your power will grow beyond peer if you pursue my teachings.'

"I do not fear the Dark Side of the Force."

'Then your path to the Sith has already begun.'

Gripping her lightsaber tighter, Rey summoned an inner swell of peace, immersing herself into it. Her courage found, she declared, "Master Skywalker has already beaten you. This Holocron is only a fragment of who you once were. It's all that remains of your legacy. I seek only the knowledge of Buried Presence. And then you can rot here for all eternity." The space around Rey suddenly grew wintry. Vacant. Absent of warmth. Positively alive with rage and fury. A deadly chill bit at her skin of her face as the Holocron began to throb powerfully with the Dark Side, only to be met by an equal shift in the Force from the Jedi artifact it sat upon. 

Rey realized what she was witnessing. Balance. Yet another art for her to pursue. A new path of knowledge to not only pursue, but document for future reference. 

'Mastering the art of Buried Presence requires one to draw the Dark Side of the Force into ones very soul. The carnage you would be capable of would be beyond explanation. Are you prepared for such a thing?'

No, she wasn't. Not at all and she knew it. Her Jedi training thus far was infantile in terms of the time since she'd truly begun, if she were completely honest with herself. But her bravery and drive were ferocious. That was her gift. She would find the will to survive this. She had no other option. "I will learn to control what aspect of the Dark Side I need to utilize."

'A corruption will fester within you, young Rey. That is the way of all Sith.'

The murderous intent lacing his tone of voice was unmistakable. "I am no Sith and I never will be. I renounce the Dark Side of the Force as no more than a tool I will use. And then I will become a Jedi!"

'So be it... Jedi,' Darth Sidious concluded in a tone contorted with controlled rage. 'Know this. When my wisdom leaves here with you, so shall a piece of me. It is unavoidable... But let us begin. I shall relish in your naivety and pain.'

 

"You will not turn me to the Dark Side."

'Perhaps not,' the voice gave a weary sigh. Paternal in nature. As if a devoted mentor sought only the best for their pupil. 'I shall share my wisdom in the Dark Arts. I will simply train you so that you might dominate your enemies and take what it is that you truly want. And for someone denied so many times in your short life, you know what it is that you deserve and the lengths you will have to go to obtain it. And in that regard, you are already on the path to the Dark Side." 

Unable to reply, Rey extinguished her lightsaber and reattached it to the hilt on her hip. She settled before the Sith Holocron, assuming a meditative pose on the ground. "Shall we begin." 

 

******

Day 30

******

 

Onboard the battle-cruiser "Death From Above"  
Orbiting the former Imperial-controlled world "Korrus"  
The Outer Rim Territories

 

De'Cain the Serpent, a towering green-skinned reptilian and leader of the Reign-Ves Pirates conducted his illegal smuggling businesses, among other criminal ventures, in the lawless war-zone that was Outer Rim Territories. That alone meant dealing with the still formidable Hutt Clans, the Black Sun, remnant pirate factions, war zealots, and various blood-thirsty bounty hunters. Surviving meant being the boot instead of the flea in this Force-forsaken region of space

One simply could not afford the luxury of fear.

But this current sale of highly-advanced technology, stolen of course, to a new buyer left him filled with worry. De'Cain had an inkling of dread where his mysterious buyer was concerned. One that simply would not let go of him. He had a bad feeling about this. but the sheer amount of credits involved was worth the risk. 

Every contact with his buyer, basic and blunt as they were, had left him on edge. That she agreed to his steep asking price with zero haggling involved, and further agreed to pick-up onboard his personal cruiser at a location of his choosing proved worrisome.

She operated with zero concern of betrayal. That way of thinking often got you killed in the Outer Rim.

Alas, the significant fortune he was being paid eased a great deal of concerns, at least to the point that he had to go through with this. The tank-sized leader of the most dangerous pirate clan in the Outer Rim knew this calculated risk was too good to pass up. 

Decain's thoughts stretched forth and sensed the great unease of his clan as an archaic Hysen Z2-freighter landed in his starships broad hanger bay. Rusted and outdated, the ship had seen far better days some sixty standard years ago, with its laser blast repaired hull and mismatched engine shells. Never mind its decrepit state, De'Cain requested that the ray-shielded blast doors be left open as he wanted his client out of here as soon as possible. He possessed a Sabbac face no one could decipher, but he felt a thread of anxiety that was all too familiar to his uncanny ability to 'sense' the mood and intents of those around him.

As the shuttle landing ramp extended and then slowly descended to the ground he considered his nearly two dozen years as an illegal smuggler in the Outer Rim. How he could summon a person's motivations, fears, and even thoughts if he truly concentrated upon them. But as the petite, dark cloaked individual approached, accompanied by an armed female companion and several heavily-armed escorts; he could see her with his two eyes, but she was a black void where his legendary senses were concerned.

It was as if she just weren't there at all. A nothingness that was nothing short of horrifying. And in that moment he became very afraid. He swallowed hard, deep in the back of his throat. The blaster on his hip felt to far away.

"That's close enough," De'Cain proclaimed with a scaly green hand on his blaster, and then motioned towards three massive skids bearing racks of technological panels and devices. His men remained at the ready. "We meet at last. What may I call you?"

The interior of the heavily-modified Pirate cruiser left Rey nostalgic for the Falcon as she pulled her cloak back off of her head, peering at the nearly eight-foot tall reptilian clad in sleeveless dark leather attire. He was accompanied by a dozen or so of his armed pirates scattered about around them all. Their nerves were frayed, especially the leader. Good. The further she probed thought the Force, she came to the conclusion that the leader was a Force adept, though likely untrained. Interesting. "My credits and not my name matter. If that is an issue then the deal is off."

Gripping his blaster harder, De'Cain drew upon the apprehension of the other woman beside her, and the dread of her armed men. Likely they held fear of being onboard his ship, in the presence of his pirate clan and their violent reputation. They did not bear the confidence of their leader. Yet again, his buyer was a complete mystery. She was there... but she wasn't. And the sooner she was off his ship, the   
better. "Check the skids. You'll find several working Jaxxon-X intergalactic long-range scanners - top of the line tech bearing the official Varrom serial numbers."

"Were they difficult to obtain?"

"Would it matter if they were?" he replied. "I am experienced in such things. That is all you need to know."

Rey sensed no treachery from him. No intent to deceive. At least not this day. He wanted her credits and then he wanted her gone. They were of a like mind in that regard. "And the rest of what I requested?"

"The Correlian cloaking shells, three version x-325 endpoint decryption modules, and black market Code Breaking arrays. It's all here. Now about my money."

"First," Rey lifted a hand, motioning two of her men to the skids to verify De'Cain's claims. In only a few minutes of testing they acknowledged that everything was there. Lifting her wrist to ignite her wrist-comm, a small holographic array lifted ever so. Keys were typed and then she lowered her arm. "The funds have been transferred." 

Nosera, a broad built one-eyed Twi'lek holding a techno-tablet of some sort whispered into De'Cain's ear. He then addressed his buyer. "The three hundred thousand credits have been received. It was a pleasure doing business with you," he offered without much honesty. "Now due to the size and weight of the skids, I offer my cranes to assist loading them..."

"The sentiment is appreciated, but unnecessary."

Audible gasps abounded the sprawling hanger bay as the three skids literally floated into the mid-air, and then angled all in a row and began moving towards the buyer's shuttle. The moved up the ramp, disappearing into the darkness of the freighter. De'Cain watched this unfold before him, knowing such power could only be wielded by one in touch with the Force. So she was Force-sensitive as he, but obviously far, far more powerful. In fact, this show of capability alone revealed she likely could take her goods and her credits and leave them all dead. 

That she hadn't meant she likely would have use of them again.

But the threat alone...

"Still your thoughts, De'Cain," Rey expressed while directing her gaze at him. "I bear you no threat. You and your pirates are among the best the Outer Rim has to offer. Your reputation for obtaining the unobtainable is well deserved. Those are skills I require in businesses partners."

"I'm not sure being your business partner is in my best interest."

"The credits you earned today are nothing compared to what I have access too. I need only your discretion and you will reap a fortune from us."

"Care to define 'us'?"

"And I did not give you a choice."

And there it was. De'Cain knew she was trouble. They were trouble. But he didn't know enough about her to move against her, nor did he feel strong enough to do so. When his pirates lifted their weapons he raised a hand. They all fell back that instant. Had they not they would have been robbed of their lives and he knew it.

Opening his arms wide in a gesture of compliance, De'Cain gave a small bow. "Fair enough. Just try to stay off the radar of the First Order. We don't need them stalking around the Outer Rim. I hear their new Supreme Leader's thirst for destruction is as great as his thirst for whores," he snickered, and for the first time felt the merest tingle - a sliver of a thread of consciousness from this woman before she yet again faded away to nothingness, yet was standing right in front of him.

"Rest assured I have no interest in gaining the attention of the First Order."

"Then with our businesses here concluded, I bid you farewell until next time. Good journey."

Rey lifted her cloak once more, offering no reply as she walked back towards the freighter with those she brought with her and boarded it as the landing ramp slowly ascended.

De'Cain watched the freighter lift off, and then blaze through the blast doors and into Hyperspace in mere seconds.

"Force users are an unpredictable element we do not need," Nosera warned.

De'Cain agreed. "Whatever she is, her power was terrifying. I would not do business with her again. Not ever. Not by choice. But we may not have one."

 

******

Day 31

****** 

 

Millennium Falcon  
Enroute to the Resistance rendezvous near Tattoine's moon  
Late Evening 

 

Exhaling slowly as the last wisp of air fled her lungs, Rey settled into a deeper state of relaxation and awareness. Fully immersed in the Force, she knelt in a Jedi meditative pose, eyes shut, head bowed as Luke had instructed. Her focus on the Light intensified, consuming her consciousness so that she might revel in the truth that she was a part of something far greater than herself. That her connection to the unseen, and her ability to commune and draw from this limitless well of power was hers to own.

This was Rey in the Light.

With all doubts to the contrary cast aside, she now knew her part in all of this. Knew the end-game and the important role she was destined to play in galactic events. Her thoughts were far from Ben and the perilous mission to come because they had to be. The here and now - the present, Luke insisted she turn her mind towards without fail. Warned her of the mistakes he'd made when he did otherwise. The searing heartache of being apart from Ben couldn't stand in the way of her relentless preparations for what was to come once she joined the First Order and found herself in the presence of Dark Side warriors. Certainly not her quiet fear... the cold dread that she had imagined the strength of her bond with Ben... that the mutual affection she felt between them was so powerful that she secretly, privately, knew the specific definition of in her heart of hearts, but wasn't quite ready to give voice to 'that' word just yet.

So she settled her focus back upon the present. The here and now. This moment.

Force mediation did not resonate with her at first. Felt like a colossal waste of time centered around inactivity. Nevertheless, Luke pushed her on the need to commune with the Living Force. To discover that link of communication that she would spend the rest of her life developing. Jedi Master Luke Skywalker was tasked with the impossible - teaching her hundreds of years of Jedi history and knowledge in forty short days. It was laughably inconceivable. And yet her will was unbreakable. She would take and take and take this knowledge until the last second of the last minute of the last hour of the last day. She would find a way to make this work. There was no other option. 

But like anything that was new, time would reveal the merits of their actions. The evidence that something worthwhile was gained.

Having converted one of the Falcon's three main storage bays into her own personal meditative and training area, Rey had finally carved out a piece of this legendary ship all her own. Baby steps, as Leia had counseled after hearing her many ideas for upgrading the ship. Listening to her mentor, she dialed it back a bit and started with the basics.

This room was all hers. 

Around her levitated several heavily-packed skids full of supplies. They produced a combined weight well over eighteen standard tons, a total that was a little more than one of the old B-wing Star-fighters the Rebel Alliance used when they defeated the Empire. The same type of Star-fighters that the Resistance had just purchased a dozen of and were outfitting with multiple stealth, armament, and weaponry upgrades. 

The skids hovered without eliciting so much as a bead of sweat from Rey's brow as her concentration remained steady. Her mind, sharp. She had come to realize that her powers weren't of a delicate nature. Nowhere near as nuanced and intricate as Ben's well-honed abilities. Poe had privately shared with her the story of when Kylo Ren captured him, and how he used the Force to literally pause a laser blast mid-air, and then calmly walk around it... such skill was beyond her meager tricks thus far.

But what she lacked in skill and finesse, she more than made up for in pure raw power. An unrefined capability that made up for a lack of elegance with brute fortitude. Through the Force she could manipulate things of an incredible =weight. Where she struggled to Force-weave a thin thread through a needle, she could Force-push through a pari-steel wall with ease. To that end, Luke altered the combat portion of her training. While her Force-senses were growing at a pace he felt comfortable with given the limited amount of training she'd received, the brutality of what she was capable of could not be ignored.

"To a state of mind and body, where you can reacquaint yourself with simplicity," Luke told her, something he'd learned from his first master Obi-Won Kenobi. The mysteries of the Force were infinite and a lifetime was not enough to master them all. "Strive for the simplicity of what your abilities are best suited for," he'd explained to her. She was raw power. And so that was the target of her training.

Reaching out through the Force around her, Rey smiled when she found the small group of Resistance fighters she'd taken with her recently playing Sabbac and drinking. There was laughter and good cheer among them - a brotherhood finally experiencing a victory or two. Of seeing hope on the horizon for the first time in a very long time. Their respect of her leadership had been a welcome balm to the trepidation she had upon introducing herself as she was still very new to the Resistance. And not everyone trusted Force-users. The groundswell of resentment there was undeniable. Nevertheless, her team was a group of good courageous soldiers. Sharp and respectful. And now enjoying a few moments of peace in an uncertain universe. Stories were being told that were both funny and tragic. Clinked glasses for the lost among them. Toasts for the victories to come. The jokes were dirty and the hand-shakes were sincere. They were at ease and she wanted so much more of that for them as they'd seen quite enough of hell during this war.

And yet, the young woman currently pacing outside of her meditative chamber was not at ease. She was an internal whirlwind of emotion flaring through the Force. Rey sensed a swell of anxiety and... jealousy? Perhaps not the latter, but more of a feeling centered around uncertainty. A subtle ache of the heart that she did not seem to be able to hide.

Opening her eyes, Rey tried to manipulate the Force into flipping the small wall-switch that would open the hatch. She could only snicker at herself while wearing a little pout that would no doubt make Master Skywalker more grumpier than he usually was. She was able to lift extremely heavy objects and yet, unable to perform something as simplistic as moving a lever upward. 

It was on her fifth attempt that she did it and the hatch parted open. Rose stopped pacing immediately, eyes widening almost comically as she came to stand at the entrance. Her hands nervously brushed down her pants, and then she gave a little wave. "Hey Rey. Sorry to intrude, but I was wondering if you have a moment to talk? Is that okay?"

Immersed in the Force as her senses were still fully tuned, Rey felt that whatever she wanted to discuss was very important to Rose. She was all serious. With a subtle wave of Rey's hand the skids all dropped to the floor with a cascade of booming thuds that startled Rose as she peered around. Rey motioned for her to walk in. "Of course we can talk. Come right in. But please close the hatch. My ego at struggling to flip that Kriffing switch with the Force has been damaged enough today," she smiled.

That was... surprising. Rose had seen more than enough already to know just how powerful Rey was. Like scary powerful, yet completely committed to the Resistance. And in Finn's eyes she was as close to perfect as one could get, and that did grate on Rose's nerves ever so. She tried to shove that particular tick of hurt away. "Again, sorry to interrupt."

"Rose, you are always welcome. It's not a problem at all and I could use a break. I was just meditating. But give me a second, please."

"Sure thing." Rose looked on as Rey took three steps backward until she was standing in the center of the room. Her arms hung rigid at her sides, palms open, fingers splayed as wide as she could manage. Rey inhaled, and then exhaled a deep breath. She closed her eyes, seemingly lost in concentration, focusing on a task Rose could not comprehend. The Force was a mystery to her. Nearly as much as this young woman was. "Are you alright?"

"I am using a Dark Side technique to wall-off my Force senses," Rey began to explain. "I can't imagine us developing much of a friendship if you can't trust that I won't use the Force to intrude on or manipulate your personal thoughts."

"That's not creepy at all," Rose deadpanned with her arms crossed, to which Rey met the gesture with a small smile.

"I just want to be me and not some walking scare tactic. I want everyone around me to feel comfortable with being themselves and not worrying about if I'm poking around in their mind or invading their mental privacy."

Rose blinked. "You can do that?"

Rey wasn't comfortable yet with discussing her abilities in great detail. Especially things like this. "Unconsciously, as I don't have a great grasp on that sort of thing yet. But the answer is yes."

"And you just what? Turned it off using an Evil Power turn-off button?"

"More or less," Rey quietly replied, feeling a sense of calm now that she wasn't privy to anything coming from Rose but her expression and whatever she wanted to say. They were on an even playing field. 

"You are so creepy, Rey."

"I'm working on it, Rose," Rey laughed sheepishly, aware of how insane all of that sounded. And she did agree that some of her powers were creepy. Every single thing she gleamed from Darth Sidious was, well, insidious. Where the Dark Side of the Force should have felt repellent, it was clearly the pathway to abilities some would consider to be unnatural. But completely necessary for the tasks ahead. 

The balance required to 'know' the Dark Side of the Force and yet remain in the Light was an ongoing personal struggle. 

With a casual wave of her hand two metal-mesh chairs leaning against the back-wall rushed towards them, and came to a stop at their feet. Rey motioned for Rose to sit, and then she sat across from her. In Rey's eyes this was a great opportunity to maybe get to know Rose a little bit better. To certainly apologize for her less than stellar first meeting weeks ago. She knew that Rose meant a great deal to Finn. That her best friend possibly had feelings for her, and Rey wanted them to get along. Especially since she hadn't made the best of first   
impressions. "What would you like to talk about?"

Though confrontation wasn't exactly her best method of communication, Rose saw no reason to hesitate. "Poe just forwarded us a video communication being broadcast across the Holonet. It's a news update involving Supreme Leader Ren." Rose did not need the Force to pick up on Rey's sudden interest. The way her eyes became an edge of worry. The intensity of which   
was fascinating. "Apparently the most evil man in the galaxy has abolished slavery entirely." 

Unable to apply the emotional disconnect she was working on whenever hearing something about she cared for so very deeply, Rey couldn't help the note of joy that swept over her. "What purpose did he give for such a decry?"

"He gave a speech from his throne room about the war being over, and how the Resistance was scattered to the stars. That peace now reigned throughout the galaxy. And then he talked about how the First Order would strengthen its leadership of the Core Worlds by relinquishing some of its most archaic laws. He claimed there were a number of requests made from many worlds that have been ignored for decades, but under his leadership a new path would be forged for the galaxy. And the penalties for anyone caught owning, capturing, or selling someone into slavery would be put to death, immediately. And to that end his Regional Governors have begun hunting slavers throughout the Core Worlds."

Suddenly speechless, Rey felt the intense urge to throw all caution to the wind and find Ben through their Force-bond. She wanted to see him more than her next breath of air. To fall into his embrace. This was 'their' plan slowly coming into fruition. The true beginning of greater things to come. Of all the tireless hard work she'd put into her extremely hardcore training, Ben was on the other end of the galaxy setting their end goal to purpose. Longing for Ben suddenly gripped her heart tight as she struggled to stay grounded in the here and now. A light tremble tinged her voice when she said, "This is very good news."

"Is it?" Rose considered as she met Rey's questioning gaze with an expression that was deeply serious. "Finn told me everything."

Sighing, as Rey pulled herself together she was only mildly surprised. "Care to define everything?"

"That you asked him to join you when you return to the First Order so that you would have back-up. And that he agreed."

Anger and hurt laced Rose's voice when she spoke, but no tears fell. A fragile expression came over her as she fought against it. Rey tried to reason, "I don't want to place his life in danger. I hated that I had to ask him, especially knowing how deeply he hates the First Order. But I don't trust anyone more than him, and he has spent a lifetime with them. No one in the Resistance knows more about their inner workings than him. His assistance and knowledge would be invaluable to Ben and I."

Rose's jaw ticked with anger. "That's interesting. See, I thought your new boyfriend Kylo Ren might be of more help," she delivered with no small amount of sarcasm. Rey's eyes narrowed with a shadow of frustration. "Which is kind of ironic seeing as how you trust Finn more than the new Supreme Leader you seem to care so much about."

Rey swallowed, hard. "Ben is not my boyfriend," she corrected Rose, even as the words felt hollow. Not quite a lie, yet far from the truth.

Rose raged, "That monster might as well have murdered my sister, Rey!" she began venomously, her eyes now glistening with tears. "He killed his own father. The general's husband... He's responsible for genocide! He is a scheming, lying, sack-of-Bantha-shit butcher and you are placing Finn's life in danger because you've fallen for the enemy!" 

Rey paused. Reigned in her emotions. Took three slow, deep breaths. Settled her thoughts. This was the well-deserved war Ben would wage for the rest of his life. The indefensible crimes of Kylo Ren will follow him until his last breath. None of what Rose said was imagined or any less devastating. "I don't imagine you care to hear about the lore of the Sith, or how deeply the Dark Side corrupts ones soul."

"No, I don't want you to defend that piece of garbage to me."

"Kylo Ren is dead."

"That's funny. I just saw him alive and well seated on a magnificent throne. Newsflash Rey, he rules the entire Kriffing galaxy. Why would he ever give that up?"

"Because he killed his own father!" Rey countered angrily, flashing a hint of the Dark that made Rose sink farther back into her chair. Rey willed it away as quickly as it came, but her voice was strong. "From his early childhood Supreme Leader Snoke began communicating and manipulating Ben on the path to the Dark Side. That manipulation, along with Ben's own anger, distrust, and resentment towards his parents - all mistakes he holds himself accountable for - led to his turn to the Dark Side. And Rose, trust me. The Dark Side of the Force unchains any restraint you have. It corrupts and devours until you don't care about anything but the selfish pursuit of power."

Rey rose to her feet and began pacing as she spoke. "Ben hates himself. He truly, deeply knows he is responsible for atrocities. He knows that there is no magic fix-it. He doesn't ever expect everyone will forgive him. I'm not sure he will ever forgive himself. But the one and only thing he can do is this. Help us take down the First Order once and for all."

"He's doing this because Snoke guided his life towards ruin. He manipulated and used him. Turned him against everyone he loved. Do you know that Ben fears ever seeing his mother again? Fears the hate and loathing he might see in her eyes. And he is destroyed over killing Han. So much so that he isn't even capable of fully facing it yet." 

Rey pushed forward. "But he killed Snoke to save my life. He destroyed his master to protect me. And he helped destroy that monstrosity of a warship and provided millions of credits to the Resistance. All that new technology we're outfitting our new ships with came from him. Newsflash, Rose... the fuel on this ship and all of our ships, the food you ate today, the weapons you carry... it's all because of Ben Solo. And I know none of that absolves him of all the blood on his hands. I get it. But he is trying and if the end result helps us destroy the First Order and rebuild the Republic then it's worth any risk."

Rose could only feel Kylo Ren's lack of remorse and the missing presence of her sister. The endless hurt. The heartache of never seeing her again. But the preceding weeks have yielded more hope for the Resistance than many years past. They weren't starving or running for their lives anymore. Truth be told, they were more prepared and better suited to wage a quiet war than they ever were in open combat. "My sister Paige was a gunner on Resistance bombers. I was just a maintenance worker," she began softly.

"Rose, I am truly sorry for your loss. I can't imagine the pain you feel as I have no siblings. But every single thing that I do for the rest of my life is to try and build a galaxy that prevents more senseless loss of life." 

"And you are willing to risk your life that this whole crazy plan of yours isn't just a scheme of Kylo Ren to get you to finally turn to the Dark Side and join him?"

"Yes. I'm betting my life on it."

"But do you have to bet Finn's?" she softly pleaded.

"I asked him. I did not demand. I could never, would never do that. He agreed to come of his own free will. He knows this is the only way. Our only path to victory."

"... he would do anything you asked of him," Rose offered sadly, her head bowed ever so. "But this is a suicide mission."

"It's the only mission we have, Rose. The credits Ben gave us will stretch only so far. The longevity needed to tear the First Order down from within means taking command of its military, finances, technology, and infrastructure. That will take time and require a great deal of sacrifice from all of us."

"I just don't want Finn to die, alright. And I know how selfish and petty that sounds."

"Not at all. You care for him deeply, and I can tell he feels the same way about you." Rose's expression was one full of questions she did not yet have the courage to ask. Perhaps Rey could at least set the record straight on some things. "You know, when I first talked to Finn about my plan he the thought I was nuts. And then when I told to him about Ben he became very upset. I was honestly worried he was jealous or something, but he set me straight on that not being the case. Told me he sees my like a sister, and I see him like a brother I love dearly. But truthfully, my heart is with Ben. I miss him..." she paused, wetting her lips, exhaling deeply. "But we have a very dangerous, unpredictable mission ahead. And I trust Finn with my life. I would not ever risk his if I thought Ben was lying to me or if this was some kind of a trick. It's as real as it gets. And it's our last, best chance to finally win this war."

Though still greatly troubled, Rose absorbed all that Rey had said, and the unsaid as well. She knew she was a minor player in all of this. But for her sister's memory she would be a warrior. Would honor her loss by doing anything and everything in her power to fight for what she died for. Freedom. And maybe, just maybe, she was ready to go all in. Maybe she had to be open to seeing things through new eyes. "You're only a little less scary now."

Rey shrugged, taking her seat once more. "I'm a nobody from nowhere."

"Where do you come from?"

"Jakku."

"... yeah, that's nowhere."

Rey laughed. "Exactly."

"So... you and Ben Solo?"

Rey sighed, closing her eyes. "My heart and my head are at war over him constantly."

"It's not like you don't have other options." Rey peered away, and gave a little shake of her head. "Poe would do anything if you'd just send one smile his way. So would probably the rest of the men here judging by the way that they look at you. Some of the girls too."

Rey was silent for a heartbeat, and then softly expressed. "I only see Ben. And I think I may only 'ever' see Ben. And I am not unaware that this could all turn out so bad for me, but I have to try." Surprisingly, Rose laid a warm hand over hers and gave a little squeeze. It wasn't an endorsement for Ben so much as comfort for a new friend. And it was well received. "So what do you think?"

"I don't like your plan, but I do like you. I don't like that Finn is going with you, but if anyone can help you and have your back, he's the one you would want every time. And I do not trust Kylo Ren. Not now or ever. But this Ben Solo guy... we'll just have to see."

"Fair enough." Rey felt the air between them had been cleared. "And I just want to apologize for how curt I was the first time we met. I was in a rush to talk to Finn and wasn't very mindful of how everyone else felt around me. Again, I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted, but you owe me a favor."

"Ok, I can deal with that," Rey smiled.

"Now I have one more question for you."

"And that is?"

"Do you have room for another set of hands on this suicide mission?"

 

******* 

Day 34

*******

 

Onboard "The Liberator"  
Home-Base of the Resistance  
Cloaked above the planet Geonosis

 

As she stepped off the turbo-lift, Rey's tunic fluttered lightly via the gusts of engine exhaust when twin speeder-bikes blazed past her in the vast hallway before wildly rounding a narrow corner at break-neck speeds. "Nerfherders," she playfully muttered under her breath at them. Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber, newly rebuilt, shifted ever so over her hip as she began walking down the long corridor to meet with General Leia and Master Skywalker. A meeting she wasn't exactly looking forward too, but knew was necessary for the mission to come. 

The gentle hum of the cruiser's mammoth Hyperion engines stirred as she moved across a short bridge overlooking rows of glowing power cores below. So vast was the 'The Liberator' - the new starship home of the Resistance, that traversing this massive cruiser required means far exceeding simply walking. Heavily-modified shuttle buses, a still under- construction Hover-tram system, and dozens of used speeder-bikes assisted in manning a ship capable of housing a crew of over sixty thousand. With their ranks currently just over four hundred, maneuvering within proved challenging.

With no small amount of pride over her assistance in bringing this all together, Rey continued down the immense hallway before turning into a well-lit walkway on the right. This thirty-seven year old Mon Calamari battle cruiser was built for war and deep space exploration during the latter days of the Rebellion. It was acquired through a Lando Calrissian Pirate connection for one-third the original asking price, and was a far better home-base than they originally imagined they could get their hands on. It was purchased on the black market for eleven million credits, a sum that greatly diminished the gift Ben Solo bestowed upon them. 

The Viscount-class Star Defender was nearly the equivalent of an Executer-Class Star Destroyer in size, complete with regenerating deflector shields, over three hundred heavy ion canons, and the ability to house well over two hundred fighters. Though used and in need of significant repairs, its modern silver-gray color scheme gave it a regal appearance. Heat, plumbing, power, hyperspace travel, weapon systems, most of the turbo-lifts, and six thousand warm bedrooms were greatly appreciated. Two of the planned fifty bio-domes were recently brought online to grow food and even house some livestock. And even though it would be many months before the cloaking device's full capabilities and the First Order's highly advanced Galactic Tracking unit were fully operational, this ship was already heavily armed and carrying three times the fuel cells of any other ship its size. It could outrun any smaller cruiser smaller, and put up one hell of a fight while doing so. 

The Liberator was still in the process of being optimized for different species and there were a few dozen projects having just begun, but this ship was home now. And for this rag-tag band of Resistance warriors, that was a most welcome thing to know. 

Turning a corner, Rey deftly bypassed a fast-moving maintenance droid as it shuffled by, chirping away, and into a power conductor storage chamber. She found most droids to be a bit rude, with R2 being the sole exception. As she passed a broad curving window that revealed the southern region of Geonosis she hoped the three Resistance teams deployed below would find what they were tasked to recover and return soon as possible. The price they paid for the location of a hidden cache of unused Separatist Droids was hefty, but re purposing and reprogramming them would add nearly three thousand to their ranks. 

Coming here was a risk, but one that had the ability to help the Resistance a great deal.

Still, Rey wanted out of this dangerous area of space sooner rather than later. So much of their plan was predicated on the Resistance being disbanded and dead. It was widely known that the First Order still ran patrols in this area despite it being in the Outer Rim Territories. And so long as they weren't moving the Liberator's partially working prototype cloaking device would shield for up to nine standard hours. They didn't want to engage in any fights until they were more than ready. And the Liberator was a bit over a year away from being the devastating battle cruiser they knew it could be.

Rey sincerely hoped it would be the first battle cruiser for the newly reinstated Galactic Republic someday. And that the word "Resistance" would become nothing more than a courageous legacy title for those that stood against tyranny, but would no longer needed. 

When she finally reached her destination in the medical wing (49th floor) of the ship, Rey stood before an expansive sky-blue door. Though she didn't want to see what was behind this door, this was one of the last hurdles before she was finally reunited with Ben. Her heart could barely contain the emotions coursing through her just thinking about seeing him again. She was so anxious and wanted to know if she had imagined their all to brief intimacy, or if he was still as crazy about her as she was for him. If she closed her eyes for but a heartbeat she could feel the press of his mouth to hers. The way he felt in her arms. The white-hot desire that burned between them...

"Enough," Rey admonished herself with a shake of her head. Pushing those thoughts aside for another time, Rey reigned in her emotions. Her hand lifted to a small square computerized wall-panel. A light shimmer ghosted down the surface, and then swept back up her palm. When a digitized voice announced her name and security clearance, the door slid apart. She wasted no time walking directly in. 

The spacious re-purposed surgical chamber, one of twenty onboard the Liberator, bristled with advanced electronic devices that were spread out all over the room. The walls were embedded with powered-on computer workstations and medical monitoring equipment. A mix of human and Kaminoan techs moved about silently, ignoring her entirely as they went about their work. She sensed through the Force a somber, yet very focused mood from them all. Resilient in the task ahead. 

But real reason for her presence here today were located in the center of the room. Two command-control stations were cabled to twin cloning bed-chambers with clear canopies. The figures lying inside appeared to be sleeping peacefully, although she knew they were not breathing. There was no rise and fall of their chest, but she'd been told earlier in the week they were in a state similar to a medically-induced coma. The cloning chambers maintained their cellular health as there were no signs of degeneration. 

Peering into the cloning bed-chambers, it looked as though a fully clothed General Leia Organa-Solo and Jedi Master Luke Skywalker were fast asleep. Rey swallowed hard at the haunting sight, uncomfortable to say the least. Next to their respective cloning chambers stood the real Luke and Leia. Huddled together with Luke's arm resting over his sister's shoulder, they seemed utterly fascinated with the clones.

"Greetings General. Master Skywalker," Rey nodded respectfully.

Luke gave an affectionate nod in return, his eyes still trained on his clone. Leia's favored Rey with a soft smile, and then motioned for her to come closer. "Forgive me if I slur my speech a bit. The technicians took five of my teeth for my clone," she announced wearing a hint of a smirk. "I'll be fitted for replacements following this meeting. But it feels so strange," she couldn't help a little laugh.

Rey moved to her side and gave her a half hug. Her voice was laced with concern. "Are you in any pain?"

"Dear, I have given birth, been shot a few times, have survived several starship crashes, and over a dozen assassination attempts. I'm not sure I recognize what pain is anymore," Leia teased lightly in that comforting way that put everyone at ease around her. "In fact, I am excited beyond words," she explained on a heavy exhale. "This feels very weird for certain, but is one the first steps toward taking down the First Order once and for all. And when you take those bodies back to the First Order and they are tested and authenticated - That will get you in!" her fist drew tight to emphasize her point. 

"With all word of the Resistance having gone silent and the bodies of the last Skywalker's as proof undeniable it will send a powerful message to the First Order hierarchy that they have won and their victory is complete. I imagine they will welcome a new Force-user to their ranks with roaring applause. After that it's all up to you, Ben, Finn and Rose," Luke noted as he began pacing around his clone's chamber. Hands clasped behind him, he didn't appear all that comfortable. There was a wistfulness in his gaze. Something as tired as it was focused. "I've seen a lot of bizarre things in my travels, but this is the most disturbing."

"Even more disturbing than fighting a Rancor one-on-one?" Leia joked, while Rey suddenly appeared awe-struck.

"You fought a Rancor all by yourself?" the young Jedi asked with no small amount of glee.

Luke felt a bit sheepish as he always did whenever someone graced him any amount of hero-worship. "I'll tell you all about it when we train in the morning."

"But..."

"In the morning, Rey," Luke gently warned his Padawan. Her little impish smile made him feel young again. Back when the world didn't feel as heavy as it did right now. 

Never mind looking forward to yet another adventurous tale from the life and times of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, Rey set out about the business of why she her was here. "What do I need to know?"

Leia began in an all business tone. "The process of replicating the genetic code of an original host in order to create a clone has been immensely accelerated since the Clone Wars era. Advances in the use of genetic modifications such as growth acceleration and cellular reconstruction are the reason we have two fully grown clones in seven days. But with such an accelerated growth rate comes the same in decline. Essentially we have two standard weeks before the cells begin degrading at such a pace it will be obvious to any medical droid or examining equipment that these are clones. But as it stands now with each receiving ample blood transfusions from us, as well as actual teeth, when you return to the First Order you will need to ensure the clones are tested immediately. And then see that their bodies are cremated. Otherwise your cover will be blown."

"I won't fail you," Rey swore as she stood before them. 

"There is more," Luke added in a solemn tone. Leia soon joined his side. "The Knights of Ren and the First Order hierarchy will expect you to have murdered us yourself, and likely with a lightsaber. You will need to inflict fatal wounds on the bodies to mimic killing us." He felt her instant distaste for this course of action. "Trust me, I don't like it either. But they need to believe you have turned to the Dark Side fully and that your loyalty to them will be absolute. And it will make it easier for Ben to justify your high-ranking position once he assigns it to you."

All of this was logical and made perfectly good sense, but it was so vile it left Rey with a terrible sense of disgust. There was a ruthless, calculating intent required for this mission and she knew she had to stay in that mind   
state. Comfortable was not a word that would help her attain her ultimate goal. "I understand. Whatever is required will be done."

Leia came around to drape an arm over her shoulder, drawing her into the warmth of her embrace. She loved this courageous girl already. But she had also lived a couple more lifetimes than her. "Rey, I am so very weary of war," she confessed quietly, and with reverence. With emotion. "I am bone weary of it. The misery and the horrific loss of life... I detest war, and yet I have spent most of my adult life fighting it. And I wish for my remaining years to be a part of a lasting peace." When she paused it seemed as if the years drew heavier upon her. "Now I thought we had achieved that before, but we lost our way and somehow ignored the growing threat of the First Order." 

Resting her hands on Rey's shoulders in a comforting pose. "The opportunity you and Ben have is to grow the new Republic from within the First Order. The infrastructure, military, and finances are already in place. You will need to consolidate your power from within by infusing the hierarchy with those that will remain loyal in the face of immense change. But this mission will cost you greatly. And personally. To end this war, substantial sacrifices must be made. But I trust you will figure out the best course of action."

"And I will bring Ben back to you," Rey stated with a relentless intent, even in the face of Leia visibly withdrawing ever so. Withering just enough to have her peer away. To dart a tear from her eyes, even as Luke sighed heavily. But Rey would not be deterred. She would not back down EVER at repaying the General for the faith she placed in her. "General, I cannot begin to fathom what you've been through and how you feel about all of this. I wouldn't even know where to begin and I don't have all the answers, but trust me when I tell you this. Your son, Ben, is still alive." She saw tears glisten Leia's eyes. Tears she willed away as that was her way. "His soul is broken. He is broken. But he is fighting with everything that he is to become a better man. I swear to you I felt it. I saw it. I know it is true. He is scared to see you again, but he will. I swear I will bring him back to you when this is over. I will bring your son back to you."

Feeling a familiar heartache, Leia exhaled deeply in the face of Rey's powerful resolve. Summoning the limitless well of inner strength she'd had to draw from for many, many years now. But her heart was still shattered over more than she could say. "I know that you will try, dear. But I am not getting any younger and it may have to be enough to know he is on the right path again. Any more than that, I'm not sure I have the heart to hope for."

"There is good in him. I swear it."

And there it was. Leia could see it so clearly. Rey's passion diminished the walls she placed around her innermost thoughts. Through the Force Leia felt the most intense love for her son from this young woman. Something so vital and without question, her heart completely taken by him. The emotion both warmed her heart and chilled her to the bone. Certainly more happened when Rey and Ben were together than she revealed, but it was her business at the end of the day. That Ben was loved meant everything to the Mother within her.

But it was Kylo Ren whom Leia witnessed commit atrocities of such evil in recent years. His murder of Han tore her soul asunder. And she wasn't sure how any of them would ever come back from that. 

Leia measured her words carefully, but without care of restraint. "I know that there is still good in him. But I have not seen it in a very long time. I have only seen his cruelty. His rage. His unquenchable thirst for power at any cost. And I miss Han so very much, and the intensity of that heartache is not lost because of the news you brought back with you." The General paused to collect her thoughts. There was no front to put up here. No wall of indifference. "There are some wounds I am still struggling to heal. Some that may never heal no matter the outcome of what lies before us. I am as imperfect as all of us are. I am still trying to make sense of it all. I'm not over it. But I have a duty to this Resistance to place my personal feelings aside for the greater good."

"Tell me what you want from me?"

"Grandchildren."

Rey squinted. Paused. Stayed paused. Eyes narrowed. Squinted some more, and then her mouth parted ever so slowly until it was fully open. "... wait, what?"

At that point Luke and Leia burst out laughing. Full belly howling that saw brother and sister warmly embrace as Rey looked on unsure what to say. They were gently making fun of her, but the sentiment was lost as Leia's request left her mind reeling.

Walking to her, Leia took her hands in her own, offering a warm little squeeze. "Dear, I am teasing. I was just trying to lighten the mood."

Through the Force Rey sensed she wasn't 'exactly' teasing. Not entirely. And while such an unbelievable dream that was so far off in so many ways, she did not count on the tiniest flutter of warmth settling in her belly. The merest tickle of a spectacular someday with Ben after the war. It was not a dream she had ever dared have before.

And now it was settled firmly in the back of her mind. Far, far in the back. But it indeed was there.

 

******

Day 35

******

 

Onboard "The Liberator"  
Home-base of the Resistance  
Rey's personal quarters  
Late Night

 

Engulfed in a billowing fog of sweltering steam, Rey gently bowed her head to the tile of her private refresher as the heated waters cascaded down her body in soothing waves. Her palms braced flat against the surface of the wall in front of her as she sighed under the humid spray. Sore muscles found blessed relief at long last. Aching joints stilled their protest at every move she made. It felt exquisite to wash away her deep exhaustion as the warm waters rained down over her, cleansing the way for a new day in the morning. 

Appreciation was not lost on Rey concerning the sheer luxury of being able to take a daily shower, much less an unrushed one that was free of charge. When she was young most days she was barely able to scavenge enough credits at the Niima Outpost to eat much less worry about her personal hygiene. Such basic normalcy was something she was still getting used to after a lifetime of dire hardship growing up on the Inner Core desert world of Jakku. Something as simplistic as being able to take the time to thoroughly wash her hair and have the water remain hot throughout was foreign to her. To have more than enough body wash for a full lather was vastly different than worrying if you even had enough credits to purchase any at all. 

With that in mind, Rey wasn't afraid to lose herself in this peaceful comfort after twelve hours of grueling Jedi training with Master Skywalker, instead of rushing through her clean-up while keeping an ear and eye on the rusted door handle of the outdoor refresher in case some Kriffing pervert might try to attack her. That reality was born of the horror stories she'd heard from other young girls throughout the years. Some of them wore such misery on their faces that chilled her to the bone. That was why she had never felt safe and was always hyper aware of her surroundings. But that sort of cruel upbringing ruined her innocence as she had to grow up so fast just to be able to take care   
of herself. There was no one else to do so. 

With her eyes shut beneath the steamy showering waters, Rey could still recall the blue-ish hue of the starship engine trails that took her parents away from her. They stranded her on a dangerous desert with nothing and no one. But whatever their eventual fate, she now had full control of her own. 

Such experiences gave birth to her indomitable will. She had survived being all alone at such a young age with no credits, uneducated, and homeless. But she was not so easily broken. Not at all.

The Force had been with her, always. 

In the present, Rey was grateful for a great many things. A soft bed to sleep in. A place to call home. A full belly when she fell asleep at night. Good health. A couple of good friends truly who cared about her. The safety and security of a locked door. Mentors that wanted the best for her. And her growing power in the Force to not only protect herself, but now to be able to protect others as well. 

And someone very special in her heart, even if Rey wasn't quite ready to admit just how special Ben was to her.

Smiling under the spray, Rey found joy in the puffs of steam surrounding her as she bathed. Sweaty skin gave way to a fresh renewal of the mind, body, and soul. Here, she found an inner peace she could immerse herself in. And though she was capable of drawing upon and using the Dark Side of the Force when necessary, it could not touch her unless she allowed it too.

There was power in that truth. Pride. Rey intended to take the pebbles of Force-knowledge she has acquired and build them into a mountain. It would take years. Decades. Likely her lifetime as no one truly mastered the Force. But she was well on her way. 

Without a doubt in her mind, Rey knew her place in all of this now. And she wasn't afraid of it in the least.

When Rey was done with her shower she switched off the water and then finished drying off with a nearby towel before hanging back it on a hook. She slipped on a luxuriously thick dark robe, a gift from Leia that was greatly appreciated and easily her third most prized possession after the Falcon and her lightsaber. 

After running her hand over the small wall-mounted mirror to rub the cloudy fog away, she reached for her brush and began working tangles out of her hair, which in itself was as much pampering as she'd ever spent time on before. Her trademark three-buns hairstyle was an easy fix to a problem she cared little for to begin with back on Jakku. But now she didn't mind indulging in just a small touch of personal care. 

Peering into the mirror at her reflection, the woman staring back at her was nearly a stranger. Her hair was a bit longer than it had ever been. She looked stronger, physically, for lack of a better term. Assured. More. She looked like more than she had ever been before. Rey knew she was changing. That was part of growing up and moving on. You had to grow past your trauma and upbringing because nothing will change the past. Everyone had demons they were battling in some personal, private way. No one was exempt from that universal fact. Still, she was more than pleased with her progress thus far.

Having finished the rest of her modest nightly routine, she padded quietly out of the refresher and through her small private quarters on the 87th floor of the Resistance cruiser. Her amenities were basic, as was the decor; but it was clean, warm, and hers. More than she'd ever had before. A wall-embedded mini-fridge was stocked with food and a warm bed awaited her at the end of very long day. There was even a small ceiling-mounted Holonet projector if she wanted to watch something in case she couldn't fall asleep.

Insomnia was still a very good friend of hers, but they were not nearly as close as they once were. Yet another thing she was grateful for. A good night's sleep was priceless.

Yawning lightly, Rey didn't feel like turning on any lights as she quite enjoyed the dark. She certainly wasn't afraid of it. Sleeping in cramped enclosures within the engine compartment of a destroyed Imperial AT-AT removed any fear of the dark she had. 

Moving across the small room, she took a seat at the foot of her bed and stretched her legs out. Enjoying a soothing pop of her neck as she twisted it, Rey peered down at her bare feet and considered if she wanted to turn on the Holonet on for a little while or pour herself a drink. Despite feeling physically refreshed, a heavy tension coiled in her belly, filled with equal parts dread and hope - strange bedfellows indeed. 

Her return to the First Order was fast approaching, and with it so many unpredictable variables. Dangerous times were ahead for certain. When she tried to wrap her mind around it all...

And then she felt it.

Felt him.

Through the Force she perceived a faint echo in the back of her mind, brushing a presence over her subconscious that put her senses on high alert. An ethereal sensation steadily vibrated all around her, charging the air. The feeling gradually amplified in power, raising the hairs on the back of her neck as she frantically scanned her bedroom. Her eyes darted to her lightsaber, but she did not call it to her hand. Not yet. 

Rey slowly rose to her feet, her heart now racing as the Force ignited within her, its intensity surging until she saw him. 

Ben Solo simply emerged from out of the very darkness itself, now standing just a few short feet away. So close she could reach him within five steps if she wanted too. She blinked, silently praying this wasn't a dream. 

Her mouth slowly parted to speak, but nothing came out. Not a single word. Ben was bare chested, wearing only black night-pants, bare foot as she was. Towering as ever, his body chiseled with hard muscle and raw capability in the Force. But despite being the single most powerful man in the galaxy, he wore a vulnerable, haunted expression and made no move whatsoever towards her. She felt such a violent emotion grip her chest that it was frightening as the sight of him took her breath away. The small bedroom absolutely vibrated with energy.

In the first seconds they simply absorbed the sight of each other after nearly five weeks apart. 

The sheer magnitude of what Ben felt for this young woman as he stood before her, his throat locked in silence, was devastating. She filled his line of vision as surely as she filled every corner of his heart. The unadulterated ache he had for her couldn't be denied any longer. The beautiful, alluring sight of her for the first time with her hair down, he was utterly lost. Rey was barefoot, clad in a dark robe that swallowed her toned petite frame in a way that was the most sensual thing he had ever seen in his entire life

"Ben?" she quietly called out, still not quite believing her eyes. Still unable to will her legs into action. But that was okay because he came to her in a flash, capturing her in his strong embrace as her arms possessively welcomed him home. Her fingers danced in his slightly longer hair as they stared into each other's eyes. Her face nestled against the side of his bare chest, reveling in the addictive warmth of him as it surrounded her. He was real and he was here. There was so much to discuss, but she feared they had mere minutes before the Force-bond was lost. 

Ben buried his face in the side of her neck and inhaled deeply. She smelled so fresh and her smooth skin was softer than anything he'd ever felt before. When he kissed her there, the sensual little moan that escaped her ruined him for any other woman. Drawing back to gaze at the woman he so desperately longed for - he drank in the beloved sight of her exquisite beauty. For the first time he noted the sprinkle of freckles that dotted her face and the lovely flush of her cheeks. No one had ever left him breathless before her. 

Unable to resist touching her a second more, Ben lifted his hands to softly frame her face. To direct her eyes to his own. He swallowed hard, summoning the courage to get through this. His voice trembled with emotion when he asked the one question that had the very real potential to destroy him. "Am I still yours?"

Rey felt his words slam into her heart. Her face cracked with emotion as tears wet her eyes and slowly descended her cheeks. And then she rose on her tippy toes and crashed her mouth over his, eagerly pushing her tongue past his lips. She poured her heart into their fiery kiss, taking what she wanted with greedy urgency. The question he posed decimated every single worry she had over them since they parted weeks ago. Her heart could barely contain what she felt for Ben Solo as their kiss felt like it was ignited by the Force itself. 

Ben's tongue invaded her sweet mouth, curling around her own as they found an effortless rhythm. The hungry ferocity of their kiss lived in every seductive sway of their lips, slowly back and forth, devouring each other. As his arms closed around her tighter, hauling her nearly a foot off the floor against his chest, she was pressed so close to him he was sure she felt the full throbbing length of his cock over her belly. He felt her shift and smiled against his lips as her thirst for so much more than this vibrated through the Force. 

Before she drowned any further in the heady taste of him, Rey pulled away, panting as he was. Finally, when her gaze met his she was stunned by the savage passion she found there. Passion for her alone. The sheer depth of emotion she felt from him through the Force brought tears to her eyes. That he made no attempt to hide anything. She lifted one hand to the side of his face, her thumb stroking over 'her' scar ever so gently. Though a bit shaky, she finally found her voice. "Yes, Ben. You are still mine. And I am yours."

Rey's declaration filled him with all that he had been missing. He sighed, still struggling with the sense of renewed hope his life held now. Resting his forehead against hers, he quietly confessed, "I could wait no longer, Rey. I tried. I swear it, I tried so hard." She wore the most tender expression that ate him up inside. He paused for a heartbeat, nearly overwhelmed by being so close to his heart's desire. "I have buried myself in consolidating my ruling power within the Hierarchy and cataloging potential allies for us. I've reconnected with the Knights of Ren and have closed ranks in preparation for your arrival. At night I meditate for hours, striving to stave off the dark thoughts that haunt me. But through it all I could not ever stop thinking of you. I... I just had to see you. To feel you in my arms again. I am sorry for breaking our agreement."

Rey wanted to tell him that she felt the same way, and that she had missed him with all her heart. But she shook her head, thinking of nothing more than he was back where he belonged. In her arms. "Push all thoughts aside. We are reunited and that is all that matters. But I don't know how long the Force will grant us," she warned while fixing him with a dark gaze that was unmistakably sensual. "Let us waste not a single breath on conversations that will take hours to resolve." 

With carnal intensity burning in Ben's stare, his hands fisted the front of her robe. "As you wish."

Rey peered deeply into his eyes with such raw emotion as they drew closer. Her body quivered against his, willing his compliance. Shamelessly, she gasped an uncharacteristically crude request over his mouth, "Fuck me."

With a primal snarl, Ben seized her mouth with a smoldering kiss that robbed her of the ability to breathe. Their mouths fused passionately, colliding with the ferocity of a torrential   
storm. He parted the front of her rode, tearing it off her slender shoulders as it pooled at her feet. Her naked form, all slender curves and natural beauty, was breathtaking as he drank in the sight of her. "You are exquisite."

"Now that's a word I've never been called before. I think I'll cherish it since it came from you." Suddenly he felt her shove his pants down, and then he quickly kicked them away. Neither saw them disappear. The animalistic growl that tore from the pit of his throat when her small hand curled warmly around the hard length of him and began stroking from root to tip left her nipples tingling as she cork-screwed her wrist around him. Her center clenched in remembrance of his size and how thick he felt inside of her. "You're so hard," she whispered breathlessly.

"Only for you."

There was no room to be shy or to over think the moment or to peer into it too deeply. They wanted each other to much to care. They weren't sure how the Force would let them do this, or for how long, but they were game to figure it out on the fly.

Ben's impatient lust to feel the tight heat of her sheathed around him was devastating as he laid her down over the small bed. Never mind his considerable height, they would make this work. Her thighs parted as the head of his thick cock pressed to her soft entrance. His mouth slanted hotly over hers, sucking her tongue into his mouth as she moaned. He felt her fingernails rake over his scalp, eliciting an edge of pain he liked all too much, begging him impossibly closer. He arched his hips, gliding the erect length of him against the glistening lips of her cunt - letting her feel just what she did to him. How hard she made him. How lost he was to her. She bucked upwards against him, kissing him back with an uncontrollable need as all foreplay would have to wait for another day.

Rey cried out when he snaked an arm between them and his long fingers found her slick center. He firmly cupped her mound, causing her to cry out as he began stroking her, his fingers glistening with her arousal. When he thrust one finger, and then two inside her, driving them deeply, causing a rush of slickness to swell at her center. She whimpered softly, clutching his forearms. Her hips rocked down onto his thrusting fingers, riding his hand almost desperately. She was so wet the filthy sounds made her blush as she buried her face against his shoulder, her thighs shivering. Deep and twisting inside of her, she whimpered when suddenly his fingers left her. When her hazel eyes opened her voice hitched at the erotic sight of him sucking on them in his mouth, his tongue lapping her juices from his fingers. "Now! Ben, please!"

Moving into position, with a sharp angle of his hips, Ben thrusted deep inside of Rey fully to the hilt - he loved the primal cry that erupted from her. She writhed beneath him, wiggling her hips around the considerable length of him, her nails now digging into his back as he gave her every fucking inch until she was full of him. Until her eyes rolled in the back of her head at feeling so full. Her legs curled around his waist, drawing him closer as he began sawing into her. Spreading her tight little cunt around him like a second skin. For him. Only for him! 

"Never wanted anything more than you," Ben groaned above her, his eyes shut as her sex squeezed so sweetly around him. Gripping him as he moved in and out of her. Ripped to shreds any restraint he had as nothing had ever felt as good to him as she does. Watching her beautiful face contort passionately with lust as he fucked her made the blood in his veins boil. Fuck, he was terrified they had so little time and he wanted a lifetime to worship her.

"All mine!" Ben growled with authority as the bed shook violently from their aggressive mating. As the headboard rattled loudly against the back-wall in rhythmic smacks. If anyone walked by outside her quarters what was going on inside would be unmistakable. 

Clawing at his back like a wild animal as he pounded her into the small bed, Rey might have cared if they got caught if her clit wasn't grinding deliciously against his groin with every deep thrust; leaving her utterly speechless. Her soft moans deteriorated into husky gasping as their bodies collided in loud erotic smacks of heated flesh. The decadent feel of his large muscular frame straining into her, pressing his weight down on her, merciless with his demanding need saw her legs curl tighter around his lean torso. 

Hoarse grunts filled Rey's ear drums as Ben took her with a savagery she absolutely loved. Craved. Trembling with passionate exertion, her hips moved in tandem with his as they fucked wildly. The sweat-dampened sheets tore from the side of the bed as they moved over it. The covers hung off the side without a care. 

"Need you, Rey. Fuck, I need you... I need you," Ben groaned huskily, and then hooked an arm under one of her knees, going deeper with the new angle. The raw, sexual grunt that just fled her lips made his cock throb deep inside of her. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. Couldn't get over how beautiful she was, or that somehow she wanted only him. 

"Harder, Ben! Take me!" Rey saw stars behind her eyes as she closed tightly around him, loving that deliriously pleasurable spot he was hitting over and over that made her toes curl. The seductive feel of his strong hands anchoring her slender hips was intoxicating as he took command.

Ben gazed down at her bottom lip caught between her teeth and the sheer lustful concentration written all over her lovely face as she shivered beneath him. A litany of gasping "Ahhs," escaped her as they kissed around her soft cries of ecstasy. He felt her stomach muscles flexing as they fucked harder, surging into her with powerful thrusts. The bed rocked against the wall with a steady thud. Drawing her tongue into his mouth, Ben sucked on it passionately as her hips jerked beneath him. They moved as one, always in perfect sync, grinding into each other. "Couldn't... I couldn't stop thinking about you every day... couldn't stop wanting you more than I have ever wanted anything in my life."

"Ahh... ahh... ahh... Ben, don't stop... pleasedon'tstop." Rey felt the sticky glide of their sweat-slicked bodies as they moved together so arousing. Her inner muscles drew wetly around his cock, dragging a deep moan from the pit of his throat as he buried his face in the side of her neck. One of her hand's cupped the back of his head, tangling in the silky dark strands while her other hand fisted at the white sheets. Gazing into the intensity written all over his face, she loved the raw vulnerability and aggression radiating from him. His untamed passion focused solely on her. The hypnotic sway of his hips into hers felt indescribable as she found herself longing for him even as she was fucking him. 

Rey began to shiver and wail his name, her climax hurtling towards the edge of a cliff she'd never felt before. "I'm going to cum! Oh fuck, I'm going to cum so hard..."

This explicitly wicked sexual side of her tempted the darkness in him. Ben roared in response, spreading his legs farther apart, going deeper and harder. Her tight passage suckled around him with such pleasure all coherent thought fled his mind. The peak of her nipples fanned sensation over his chest as he moved over her. The straining slaps of their frantic lower bodies filled the room.  
.  
Sucking in a deep breath, Rey was overcome by blinding pleasure as her arms wrapped around his strong shoulders and her legs curled tightly around his driving hips. She was in love with the relentless rhythm he set, filling her with a rough fucking she knew she'd be feeling days later. Even the pain of it was beautiful. The sensual burn that shouted he belonged to her and her alone. His complete lack of restraint was beyond thrilling. 

Kissing her wildly, Ben drove himself between her trembling thighs at a relentless pace. "You will be my Empress, Rey! I will never let you go!" 

When he spoke those words Rey clutched at his waist, holding on for dear life, vigorously clenching around him when intense waves of pleasure violently crashed over her. She cried out helplessly as she climaxed all around his thrusting cock. He didn't given her a moment, didn't slow down in the least. Over and over her orgasm throttled through her - her nails dug into his back and she may have drawn blood as she clawed at him, yet his hips continued fucking into her.

They were an absolute mess of sweat-glistened skin and swearing. Lust and the Force and their intense feelings set them on fire. Ben angled his mouth over hers once more, swallowing her orgasmic cries as her inner walls milked around him until he surged inside of her one final time. With a desperate groan he erupted in agonizingly pleasurable bursts that filled her to overflowing, bathing her inner walls with his warm essence.

"All of it! Don't stop... give it all to me!" Rey bit at the shell of his ear, panting into it. Her body devoured his warm seed in thick spurts that filled her completely. That left her practically dripping. She was greedy for every fucking drop, rhythmically closing around him even when he had no more seed left to give. When he bonelessly slumped over her, all energy drained from his body, and yet her hips arched to take more! He was hers and she would have all of him for all time!

Ben softly kissed her down off the edge as he quietly descended as well. Her every caress revealed to him that there was just no equal to Rey in this universe or other. He had wanted some elusive sense of truly belonging all his lonely life, and felt overwhelmingly disappointed at every turn. Said disappointment evolved into the selfishly evil acts he committed that he would atone for the rest of his life. 

But right in this very moment he had never felt stronger and yet more fearful now that he had something to lose. Something precious and irreplaceable. Rey.

When her breathing finally slowed back to normal, Rey felt Ben gently withdraw. She was well aware that yet more muscles would be sore tomorrow, but she would relish the feeling with a private inner smirk all day long. For now she held Ben in her arms, tenderly stroking the back of his neck, ever thankful he was holding most of his weight from crushing her. The rapid beat of his heart matched her own, while the heady aroma of sex stained the air all around them. The state of bed was a comical mess, but she didn't give a Kriff. 

Had Rey ever felt a greater sense of peace and joy in all her life than at this exact moment? She wasn't ready for the answer to that deeply personal question just yet. Even if the answer was obvious. But it was enough to simply live in the moment. So she lightly caressed over his shoulder blade, tracing over the raised skin of one of his many scars, and then gazed into his dark eyes with a teasing expression as he rested his chin over her chest. They were a mess of sweaty tangled limbs and she couldn't possibly be happier. "So you want me to be your Empress?" she asked with a playful flair.

Ben groaned a little, not entirely not smiling, but maybe a just little. Pillow talk was a brave new world for him and he wasn't exactly sure how to navigate it. "That wasn't supposed to slip out."

Rey felt his Force-walls were down, but she had no interest in prying. Here and now, she wanted a trusting, unguarded Ben. "Because the plan is still to ruin the First Order from within, right? Not to rule it."

He felt her lips press a sweet little kiss to his forehead, and hated how unworthy of her he felt. "Of course. Our plan has not changed."

This little moment of playfulness, of gently toying with him was something she very much wanted to explore. "But you want me to be your Empress. You said so."

She was wearing a bratty little smirk that just owned every part of his heart. She might never know just how effortlessly she owned him. His tone of voice remained even and to   
the point. "While the endgame remains to cripple and dismantle the First Order from within, I would be lying if I said seeing a crown upon your head and you seated in a throne by my side wasn't thrilling to me."

Rey lazily traced her fingers over his cheek, and loved the way he leaned into her touch. "I want no title. I want no crown. And I want no throne."

"And yet no one is more worthy in my eyes." 

Rey blushed, but only a little. "... and you thought you possessed none of your father's legendary charm," she smiled and equally wanted Han to not be a subject she needed to avoid bringing up. She felt that was a major key to his healing. Facing it head-on. The only hint of a reaction from him was a quick blink.

"So long as you think so." And then he covered her mouth with a kiss that was little more than a peck. When she smiled he pressed a second. Her little giggle afforded her a third. He surmised that maybe those kisses could be classified as playful. Intimacy was still in its infancy where it came to his understanding of it. "I think you're warming to the idea of ruling the galaxy with me."

She was amused enough to actually giggle, and then felt a little embarrassed by the sound. So unlike her, and yet lying in bed with this man that owned her heart was so unlike   
her as well. "The no-name orphaned scavenger from the nowhere world who lived in the dilapidated ruins of an old Imperial Walker ascends to the throne of the First Order sounds like some sort of romanticized children's novel."

"It would acquire something for you that you do not currently possess."

"And that is?"

"A last name."

Rey paused, staring at the seriousness in his gaze. He was daring her to pursue this and she had no intention of backing down. "Ren or Solo?" Ben seemed to think it over for a heartbeat, and then a lightness came to him in the form of a full on smile that she thought would be wonderful to see every day of her life. But as soon as it arrived, it gently faded away as he sighed. It was as if he'd forgotten for a moment that he wasn't allowed to be happy. "Are you flirting with me, Mr. Solo?"

"I am so galactically unaware of how to flirt that if I tried I would likely embarrass myself. So I have simply decided on a course of action where you are concerned that makes the most sense to me."

"And that would be?"

"Just always tell you the truth. And if I manage to say something that makes you smile, then try to replicate that as often as possible." He sighed peacefully when she cupped his face and slowly pulled him to her. 

"Good answer." She kissed him again, for a long, glorious, heart-swelling time. As they shifted onto their sides, Ben used the Force to draw the covers up around them, and then drew her back into his arms. They closed around her possessively and the sweet sense of well-being she felt lying in his embrace was unlike anything she'd felt before. 

They were silent in the shadowy bedroom, alone in the darkness, simply being. Rey asked, "How are you doing?"

The sudden urge to ignore her question or try and change the subject felt like natural actions to Ben, but since turning his back on the Dark Side of the Force he realized that facing things head-on was the only way to reject Snoke's teachings. Instead of relying on a lack of caring, he would rely on himself. But he knew he was very much a work in progress. "I hate myself most days," he admitted truthfully. "And as time passes and I am drawn closer to the Light I am haunted by my countless sins. The end goal of somehow atoning for them seems insurmountable even when we take down the First Order." 

Ben's face took on a somber expression as Rey looked on. "There's just too much blood on my hands, Rey. To many lives I've taken. The misery that I have caused is nearly incalculable. And I killed my own Father... I just don't know how I'm going to do this," he admitted his head bowed as he exhaled deeply, closing his eyes.

His brutal honesty tore at her heart, but meant the world to Rey. She wasn't naive enough to believe he was in a good place this soon. A better one for certain, but the true healing would likely take the rest of his life. The Dark Side of the Force was not simply walked away from without dire long-term ramifications. "We are embarking on this journey together, Ben. You and me against all of it, come what may. You are not alone."

Lifting his gaze to appreciate her pretty hazel eyes, Ben nervously toyed with a strand of her hair before softly tucking it behind her ear. "I know that I don't deserve to come out of this alive, Rey. But dying feels like the cowards way out. To truly overcome the Dark Side I have to become a better man and use my gifts in the Force for... I have to honor my Father's memory with something other than my death. I have to deny the way of the Sith by warring against everything it stands for, even if I'm the most hated man alive for the rest of my life. So I am dedicated to the resurrection of the Galactic Republic. I want to help undo all the misery I helped create, or at least as much of it as I can with the rest of my life." And then he looked to her. "And I want to be worthy of you."

The dearest regard he held her with, she felt his innermost feelings coursing through the Force. Knew what she was afraid to know because she had not said the words yet herself. Their journey was only just beginning and tonight was an incredible first step. "You live in my heart, Ben. In a place no one else has ever occupied, or ever will. It's us against the galaxy from now on." 

Pressing his forehead to hers once more while shutting his eyes, Ben allowed himself to feel inspired. Hopeful. She was his truth and the way to the Light. However dark and difficult the days ahead were, he now had something worth fighting for. "Any more questions?"

"Ren or Solo?" she posed yet again with a daring smirk. He tried not to smile, choosing to bury his face in the side of her neck, warming the skin there. She felt his embrace close tighter around her waist, and was enthralled by the flutters in her belly.

"Solo," Ben quietly, yet confidently whispered into her skin, nuzzling his face there to bury any more declaration he wasn't quite sure he could hold in much longer. He felt her smile as they were silent for a time. "Someday."

'Someday' Rey thought to herself, tucking that little dream away with the others for when their mission was over and it would be their time. Rey lovingly pressed her lips to his temple, and then rested them, loving the open affection they were sharing. "What else do I need to know?"

"I have informed the Hierarchy, my Knights of Ren, and my high command generals that I have a new apprentice who will deliver to me the deaths of the last Skywalker's as proof of her unwavering loyalty. And that when she joins me she will be given an greatly elevated position in the First Order immediately. One that answers only to my title as Supreme Leader."

"How did they take it?"

"They simply want proof undeniable. For the most part the Hierarchy is relishing in the final end to the war and the death of the Resistance. They expressed disbelief that I was able to turn you to the Dark Side without Snoke's assistance. Especially since they all believe you killed him. But they don't have a choice because my rule is law."

Ben continued, "With the war ended they want to expand beyond the Core Worlds and far deeper into the Outer Rim in years to come. They want the First Order's reach to have no end. Snoke's death hasn't deterred them in the least. They recognize me as the Supreme Leader and they fear me because I have given them reason too. But I can tell they have grown weary of being commanded by Force-users. They've grown resentful. That means we must always be on guard. The day will come when they will make a move."

"We'll be ready when they do. Then they can be replaced by those loyal to our cause."

"That will be some time down the line, Rey. Immediate upheaval is our enemy right now. We need to fly below the radar when you arrive. Our focus needs to be in proving your worth and loyalty to the First Order outside of their fear of me."

"I won't bend or fold. I will be ready," Rey replied. "What about the Knights of Ren?" 

"My Knights seek to become stronger in the Dark Side of the Force now that Snoke is deceased. Snoke promised to show them the true nature of the Dark Side, but he never gave them access to Sith Holocrons or allowed any of them to grow beyond being powerful Force-users. He kept them ever wanting and ever greedy. He knew if there were more than two full Sith there would be a terrible reckoning. Darth Bane warned every Sith after him and all heeded it, including Darth Plagueis, Darth Sidious, and Snoke."

"But now they hope you will take them where Snoke feared to tred?"

"Yes."

"Are any of them redeemable? Any that could be turned to our cause?"

"Possibly two. Macen Ren and Zi'Or Ren. They became restless and frustrated with Snoke's teachings and are a bit rebellious And unlike the others showed little interest in becoming a Sith Lord's as much as growing in their knowledge of the Force. Their thoughts are... conflicted. We will keep an eye on them. But the others will have to eventually be eliminated. A Sith's ambition can never be trusted." 

"What about the High Generals?"

"While the High Generals will follow orders as always, Hux remains a thorn in my side. But he is pacified thus far as the military remains under his command."

Rey made a face of disgust. "I truly detest man."

"The sentiment is mutual. But as much as I loathe the cretin, he is key in the early stages of our plan. He will promote stability within the military and, for lack of a better term, stay in his lane. His continued breathing is due to the fact that too much upheaval to soon would be problematic. With him out of the way we can move through the ranks of the Hierarchy and plot their demise. Rest assured Hux will have his reckoning in due time."

"How many individuals make up the Hierarchy?"

"Several Leaders, as designated by Snoke. Only one is connected to the military, while the others control the internal infrastructure of the First Order. Economy, science, engineering, law, trade, regional governing, and military all have specific Leaders who are in charge of their immense section of the First Order."

"Finn told me a bit about them, from what small access he had."

"In addition I have gathered detailed Intel on our military resources, infrastructure, ship yards, and galactic finances. There is a great deal to go over, with much of it far above my understanding. What we seek to do will take time, but I have some ideas about allies we can turn to our cause."

"That's great progress. I'm so very proud of you." Rey all but purred when he squeezed her ever so tighter. It was all the reply she required.

"Others will have to be removed as we move forward. We will need to shift the loyalties of those beneath them to gain their favor. Fear alone will not be enough. But an unhealthy dose of death can be an immense motivator."

Speaking about death was still so casual to Ben. It was a skill she would need to adopt, unfortunately. Rey nodded. "I understand."

Ben hoped that she did. Their plan required a ruthless aspect to it. There would be no other way for this to work. "How have you been?"

Ever thankful the Force was granting them so much time, Rey began detailing everything that happened since they were last together. She was precise, thoughtful, and viciously focused as she walked him through her weeks. Ben was equal parts immensely impressed and greatly concerned - especially about her new Dark Side Force-abilities. 

In addition, all the preparations the Resistance had taken were well thought out and long-term in consideration. He listened intently, committing to memory all that she revealed while simply reveling in the feel of her in his arms. He knew already that he would never tire of holding her. "And you trust this Rose person?"

"I do. I think she is a very capable engineer and is personally invested in our mission due to her sister's death. Her courage will serve our cause. I trust her. She's brave and loyal. Finn believes in her and..." what Rey was going to say stalled when Ben began softly sucking on the side of her neck, and then gently biting over her pulse. When she raised a brow at him she enjoyed the predatory glint in his dark gaze, his mouth warmly sucking on her. He was purposely marking her skin, the nip of his teeth flaring to a small red mark as he sucked harder. And then his hand lazily roamed up over her thigh before it angled downward to grab a handful of her bare ass, palming the round globe hard. 

Between her thighs a new pulse of wet heat began to throb as arousal spiked hot within her. His intentions were obvious and far from unwanted. Rey narrowed her gaze at him. "You're trying to change the subject."

Fanning heat over her smooth skin, Ben licked a lazy path along the column of her neck, eliciting the most cock-hardening groan from her. "Any subject will been rendered irrelevant when you are lying naked beside me. And I will not waste another moment speaking of anyone or anything else."

"Do you think we even have enough time?" she considered out loud, gently nibbling her bottom lip when he sucked harder on her neck, further marking her skin. The softest brush of his tongue made her shiver against him. "Perhaps the Force is generous this night."

Her hazel eyes were a lovely shade darker and now filled with sensual desire. "Only one way to find out." 

With a gentle nudge she shifted onto her back, followed by him leaning over her now. His tongue slowly lapped the sweet curve of her left breast, tracing the slope round and round, committing to memory the shape. And then she purred when his tongue swirled over a peaked nipple, lashing the sensitive tip until she was quivering beneath him. When he finally inhaled her nipple inside the humid confines of his mouth, sucking strongly, her back arched off the bed.

With a fist-full of sheets in one hand, Rey whimpered his name in the dark as he sucked wildly, curling her toes with his intensity.

Judging by her breathy moaning, her voice somehow sounded far away. Peering up, he adored the way her lips trembled whenever he gently bit the tip of her nipple before drawing around it deeply, nearly enveloping her entire breast. He worshiped the other one with the same amount of loving devotion, bathing it in warm saliva trickling from the end of his tongue before drawing the peak back into his mouth, sucking wildly until she was left whimpering in pleasure. Her every reaction left him delirious with lust. He imagined how that sweet little rose between her thighs wept for him and was suddenly dying for a taste. 

When Rey felt him brushing light kisses down her rib cage and over trembling belly she reached for him and grabbed handfuls of his silky dark hair, stalling his descent. He was panting warmth over her stomach and she was so wet for him she wanted to lift her legs and just shove his face into it. "As badly as I want you to do that, we might not have time for the appetizer. And I want the main course."

Ben pressed a lightly heated kiss just above her navel. "And maybe I want to suck on your pretty little cunt until you cum so hard in my mouth, and then fuck you with my tongue while you sit on my face and climax all over it." She blushed a wild crimson and swallowed hard. His crude desire scorched some newly discovered sexual side of her, but Rey was still pulling at his hair.

"I'm going to hold you to that in the very near future," she warned him between clenched teeth, "But right now get on your back."

Ben's eyes narrowed as a scowl crept over his face. "Are you attempting to give an 'order' to the single most powerful man in the galaxy?"

"You belong to me, Ben Solo," Rey deftly reminded him with a hard tug of his hair, her gaze boring into his. "And I will do with you as I please, when I please."

Ben bore her mark, the scar he secretly wore with pride due to what it meant to him. He was sure she knew he wouldn't have it any other way. He gave a half-smirk, and then dipped his tongue in her navel for a brief swirling second, which made her shiver as it lifted a groan from her lips. His senses were on fire at the erotic scent of her so close to his hungry mouth. But another little tug on his hair had him rising up off of her, and then him lying down as she shifted past him. 

Ben fixed Rey with a tense stare when her warm hand curled around him and began slowly stroking from root to tip, loving how smooth the skin was and yet the flesh was so hard. So long and thick and all hers. She straddled his lap low, resting him against her mound. With a little grind of her hips she slid over his cock as they both grunted in pleasure. He desired her so badly it was straining against her as she nestled the crown against her glistening entrance. "We're on borrowed time, Rey."

"Then let's see just how lucky we are, Ben." With a little tilt of her slender hips, Rey slowly sank all the way down his hard cock with a husky gasp, claiming every fucking inch of him until she had it all. The alluring vision of his eyes rolling back nearly eclipsed the immense pleasure of being filled by him. Of that perfect borderline of pleasure and pain as she stretched around the thick length of him. And when she settled flush over his lap she gave a tiny squeeze of her inner muscles and felt the heavy pulse of his cock within her. When he groaned loudly her nipples tingled. Her gaze was darkly erotic as watched him for every nuance of a reaction to her. 

Rey heard him hiss behind clenched teeth, but when his hands moved over her hips to take hold of her, to control her on his cock, she grabbed his wrists. Leaning forward, she rested his arms up above his head, forcing his compliance. 

Ben was utterly captivated by her beauty as he looked up at her. The seductive weight of her on his lap, as well as the snug heat clenching around him felt indescribable. "Is my Empress going to always be so bossy?"

"I... I never agreed to become your Empress." 

"Name any title you would prefer and you will have it."

"No," Rey panted softly, rising nearly to the crown of him before descending until her backside was flush with his lap. With her holding his wrists, she rode him at a lazy gallop, loving the sweet friction over her clit as she leaned over him. She felt so delicious as she rose and sank on him, claiming his pleasure and all of his passion. Their Force-bond was positively pulsing with raw energy as their moaning filled the air around them. Her lips curled into a sinfully wicked grin when she dared to ask, "What title do you desire me to have above all others?"

There was a serious challenge and a dare cloaked within in her words. Could he admit to a faraway desire so unworthy of him? His first answer was powerfully unspoken, but she felt so damn good he could scarcely think. Ben's eyes locked between her thighs, loving the sight of his length gliding in and out of her as she rode his lap, squeezing around him every time she sank all the way down. His shaft was glistening with her wetness and that made him ever harder inside of her. The seductive wince that crossed her beautiful face as she concentrated on slowly riding him was an intoxicating vision. "You're magnificent... fuck, you feel so good." 

Rey rocked back over his lap, her knees braced into the mattress, gliding him into her while still restraining his arms. She writhed on his lap, swerving her hips in hard circles that had him grimacing in pleasure. "I love how good you feel inside of me."

All that he could do was moan her name in a worshipful tone, utterly hypnotized by the erotic sight of her rising and falling around him. Riding his cock, her face locked in passionate concentration. The gentle bounce of her small breasts left him craving another taste of her. The incredible pleasure of being enclosed tightly inside of her as she set a lazy rhythm was beyond reason that anything could feel so good. The seductive curtain of her hair fell around her face, with the ends kissing his as she moved over him. As she held him down with a fraction of the Force at her command just to keep him where she wanted him. 

"There's so much I want to teach you," he growled just before she descended, claiming his mouth with a greedy, demanding kiss. A kiss that Ben thrilled at her possession of his heart.

Their mouths swayed with a raw passion that could not be contained. Her graceful gliding up and down his cock, accompanied by the soft squeak of the bed springs and the strained tenor of their breathing filled the room. "You can teach me," Rey exhaled hotly over his parted lips, and then gave a little wet lick to them, "As soon as you tell me what you want my title to be."

"Sith," he swore over her delicious mouth.

"'Your' Sith." She whined softly when she felt him flex powerfully inside of her. A confident smirk emerged as she playfully dug her nails into his wrist while grinding over his lap at a steady rhythm. "Now tell me what you want my title to be?" 

Rey was toying evilly with him, and he was entranced to see how badly she wanted this. The sinfully seductive feeling of being enclosed tightly inside of her was nearly as exquisite as watching her ride his cock - her beautiful expressions nearly the death of him. He secretly loved being restrained by her, and was overjoyed that 'His' Rey had a dark side she was growing very confident in. She was riding him as possessively as he took her earlier, so slick and warm, her throaty whimpers shredding his senses. "I want you... I want you to have... Fuck, you feel so good."

"Say it!" Rey cried out in his ear, bent over him now, her mouth fanning warmth over his neck. Opening her mouth, her teeth nibbled his lobe as she fucked harder on his lap, striving to fight off to rising swell of sensations until he gave her exactly what she wanted. A throaty groan escaped her, "I want to hear you say it."

Turning his head, he bit into her neck with enough force to make her cry out, grazing his teeth, marking her skin on the other side. "I thought I did earlier," he drew her earlobe into his mouth and nibbled until she was fucking him with short deep thrusts over his lap, sinking him faster into her quivering tight passage.

"Ben," she warned in a shaky breath, digging her nails almost painfully into his wrists until he grunted loudly. And she never stopped fucking him for a second, swiveling her hips like a serpent. Felt that sweet tension coiling in her belly as her thighs began to tremble. "Say it! Now!"

With a gentle nudge of her face, Ben brushed his mouth over hers again, kissing her deeply. His hips began snapping up into her, fucking her harder as he felt the tell-tale signs that she was close. So very close, trying to hold on for what she wanted. Denying her was inconceivable. Her cheeks grew flushed pink as she filled herself with him, gliding up and then crashing down harder over his lap. Through their Force-bond he amplified her sensations, swirling pleasure through her, all while sharing his own without care. He felt her body stiffening over his lap. Felt her sex closing tighter around him in waves, her eyes squeezed shut in. She needed just one last push over the edge of oblivion. 

"Rey Solo... It's the one and only title I want you to ever have! One that ends in my last name. The one that ties you to me forever!" Ben watched her face passionately contort with ecstasy as a violent, ear-splitting orgasm roared through her body. Her core pulsed around him, wetter now as she quivered over his lap. Her lips parted in a sinfully lustful cry that devoured his whole world, so provocative was the sight. Her hazel eyes shut, her now face buried in the crook of his neck as he fucked her deep and hard, snapping his hips upward, their flesh slapping loudly through every pleasurable throb of her climax. When she finally released his wrists, he immediately embraced her trembling body so tightly. 

Pressing kisses to the side of her face, Ben held her flush to him as she came down from on high, her heart beating wildly against his chest. The immense swell of affection he felt for this woman was without end. Was beyond anything he ever expected he was capable of feeling. If he knew anything at all of love, he knew she was his definition of it. "For the record," he panted softly into the top of her head, pressing his face into her hair. "You didn't have to fuck that admission out of me."

"For the record," she breathed heavily over his chest, and then lifted her gaze to meet his. "That was fun."

Ben rolled them over, still connected, until he was on top. Her legs parted for him as he settled above her, and when he flexed his hips her bottom lip quivered as she moaned. He was still so fucking hard inside of her. "I'm crazy about you," he declared before kissing her deeply, twisting his tongue around hers until she moaned.

When they parted, Rey loved how he rested his forehead against hers. Having been starved of affection for so many long years, tonight felt as though he prepared a feast for her. She dearly hoped he felt the exact same way. "Do you know," she tenderly caressed his face, tracing a finger down his scar before briefly kissing him again, "That no one has ever been crazy about me before."

"Until me?"

"Until you." Ben kissed her again, and the complexities of her feelings concerning him settled into a very basic, simple truth that needed no further contemplation. Ben was a part of her now. 

And then he gently pulled from her, still so hard she could only stare at it. Blessed her eyes could take in a man in such deliciously incredible shape. "You are so beautiful, Ben Solo."

Her compliment left him feeling a familiar beat of awkwardness that he hadn't felt since he was in his teens at Luke's Jedi Academy, and yet it gently faded away into some new found acceptance that somehow, someway he'd found someone who genuinely cared about him. And that maybe there had been others; his family for instance, that had as well. The sheer depth of how wrong he had been about a great many things was staggering. But gazing at the fascinating woman who owned his very soul pushed those thoughts aside for now. "Roll over."

Rey blushed furiously, but couldn't get over the raging hunger she felt from him through their Force-bond. Hunger that matched her own as she just couldn't get enough of him. Pushing all deeper thought aside, she did as she was told, now lying on her belly in the center of the bed. And then she felt the bed dip as he moved over her. Her breath quickened as her tongue coasted out to wet her lips. When his warm hands clasped her hips she shivered as he raised her up just a bit, and then tucked one of her two small pillows beneath her. 

"Ben?" Rey whimpered softly, feeling so incredibly exposed and vulnerable. Her heartbeat quickened before his tongue lashed her cunt from her clit to slick entrance. She cried out his name, her fingernails digging into the mattress as he buried his face into her and snarled. She jerked over the bed when big hands cupped her firm bare ass, slightly parting her legs as his tongue lapped the glistening lips of her sex, soaking in the sweet taste of her. The filthy noises he made left her belly fluttering as he licked her with the full flat of his tongue until she was squirming all over the bed in pleasure. 

"Mine!" Ben emphatically swore as his mouth enveloped her clit, sucking on the sensitive nub with a tender savagery that left Rey clawing at the sheets. Pushing his face against her beautiful little cunt, he licked her with a ravenous desire as her hips arched into his greedy mouth. The scent of her arousal drove him to madness, the taste his newest most devastating addiction. When he peered over the sweetly rounded globes of her ass his eyes captured her fisting the fabric of her sheets, and that was when he drove his tongue into her, fucking her with it as her muffled groans buried into her pillow.

Feeling him back there, hungrily devouring her sex like he would die if he stopped was so fucking erotic to Rey. She silently pleaded with the Force for just a little more time as her hips bucked against his mouth. She gasped sharply when his tongue softly lapped her anus, swirling his tongue before pressing gently against her, causing her to literally bite her pillow to keep from crying out. His tongue was just... she was so utterly his and she knew it. 

And just as the tingles were rising once more he bit her right cheek, causing her to wince as he rose over her - pinning her down to the bed with his large frame, and then she felt the heavy crown of his hard cock push against her entrance. 

"My beloved Rey," Ben grunted through clenched teeth as he sank into her with a rough, deep thrust. He wasn't going to last very long and he knew it, but was committed to making her cum for him just one more time. The tight, warm sheath caressing around him was indescribable as he began sawing into her, pressing down on her, a lustful grimace etched over his face as his hips collided with hers.

The erotic feeling of his powerful body draped over her, spreading herself around him so tightly as he fucked her into the bed drew a long, drawn out wail of ecstasy from the pit of her throat. She had never felt so complete before, so utterly full of him as the seductive music of him thrusting into her was beyond words. Hot pleasure consumed her as his strong hips rocked into her from behind, her inner muscles opening and closing around him . "Fuck, you feel so good. I can't get enough of you! I need you!"

"I need you more," Ben grunted behind her. Filled with a voracious passion for her, he had never felt more powerful. More alive than he did right now. Nothing compared to 'his' Rey. He loved how much larger he was than her, draped over her petite form as the bed sang its raunchy praise. He fucked her insatiably, the carnal scent of them invaded his senses as he reached out to force her hands above her head, and then twined their fingers, holding her arms there while he fucked her hard. "All mine!" 

Rey released a muffled cry into her pillow as the rhythmic sounds of flesh slapping drowned out everything around them. The smooth glide of their skin was intimate in a way she could scarcely imagine. Ben sounded like an animal behind her, and felt so strong as she felt him throbbing within her. The husky groans of her name time after time accompanied the frantic impacting slaps of flesh. He held her hands in place, forcing her submission, taking her harder, his hips crashing into hers as he fucked her. She felt him everywhere, so fucking deep in this position, loving this wildly animalistic side of him. This rough fucking she knew she would feel for days afterwards. Knew he would never forget. The strained tenor of his voice made her clit throb as his breath fanned over her shoulder. A litany of whimpering moans fled her lips each time he buried himself to the hilt.

Her face pressed into the pillow, stifling her erotic cries as Ben fucked her with deep, powerful thrusts. Her cunt was closing tightly around him, her moans growing louder as shivers began coursing through her. She was so close again, and all he wanted was to feel it. Bending to her ear, he panted, "Tell me what your name will be someday?"

Rey knew he was playing games with her head and her heart, but she couldn't care in the moment when he was forcing the very air from her lungs while grinding into her, forcing her to take every inch of him. Her teeth bared, eyes squeezed shut, she shook her head in defiance.

"Rey!"

"No!" she cried out, clenching her fingers around his harder. He fucked her that much harder into the bed, straining against her, crashing her into the rumpled damp sheets. 

His jaw ticked and tightened at the fight in her. "Say it and I will make you cum so hard!"

Rey clawed, wrenched at the sheets while shivers ran up her thighs. A broken gasp of his name escaped her, "Ben... Ben, please!"

Bending down, his breath rasped her ear, "Tell me what your name will be someday? Tell me what you want it to be?"

His thrusts drove husky grunts from the pit of Rey's throat. She was so full of him nothing at all mattered but tonight. She felt so wet around him, lost in their shared lust and how intimately emotional and deeply important this was, even as they toyed with one another with taunts of faraway dreams. "Fuck!" she swore through clenched teeth as she was so close to shattering. 

"Say it!" Ben set a relentless pace, driven to send her over the edge of oblivion. Releasing one of her hands, he snaked it down between her trembling thighs, stroking her swollen clit in time with his hard, deep thrusts. Her sex fisted around him as her body twisted hard beneath his.

"Rey Solo!" she shrieked wildly into her pillow, her body shuddering powerfully as she came so hard around him in squeezing waves. "Rey Solo!" she repeated within a soft whimper, her eyes tightly closed, nails digging into her sheets, her body jerking beneath him. The orgasm was so violent she was nearly in tears as he fucked her through every sizzling spasm. Delicious waves of pleasure seemingly without end coursed through her.

Surging and withdrawing harder, faster, he was drowning in the intensity of his deep feelings for her. Lost to how she was healing his wretched soul, and that any future he imagined included 'them' or none at all. When all his vaunted restraint was gone... when he could embrace nothing save the way she made him feel... when nothing at all mattered but her... And so he gave up everything in the moment he came. 

As the thick, heated sensation of him pounding into her sent her crashing into pleasure, her heart absolutely soared when he cried out, "I love you... Love you so much, Rey. I love you!"

Rey knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he was irreparably hers. She looked over her shoulder, watching a mask of twisted ecstasy crash over his face as he was falling apart. "Cum inside me, Ben. Please..." She felt him bury himself flush to her backside, and then he erupted in a series of savage ejaculations. She squeezed around every powerful jerk of wet heat spurting deeply inside of her, bathing her inner walls in his warm seed, grinding back into his hips until every last drop of his essence was where it belonged - at last he gently slumped over her, boneless and utterly sated.

They laid there for a quiet time. Minutes in the dark with only their labored breathing and the scent of fuck heavy in the air. Finally, Rey gave Ben little elbow nudge and he got the message, slowly withdrawing her from and rolling onto his side. The physical loss of him felt intimate as she knew they had never been closer. Suddenly she felt his strong arms curl around her waist as she rolled onto her side away from him. Somehow she wasn't surprised when he cuddled her close. Certainly nothing had ever felt so good. But she sensed his deep apprehension and worry flow from him in waves of anxiety. She simply could not allow that. "Ben?"

"Yes?" he answered in a low voice barely above a whisper.

"Who do I love?"

It took a moment for her words to register. For Ben to assemble them in the right order. Pick them apart. Ascertain their true meaning and decipher if there was any hidden agendas. But nothing false lived in Rey. Through the Force her feelings were laid bare for him alone. Absolute. Indomitable. He swallowed hard to ward off tears he had long ago refused to ever shed again. Closing his eyes, he shook his head against her neck. He felt so foolish and unworthy. Guilty for allowing joy into a place that had caused such untold misery. "You don't know what you're saying." 

"Do you trust me?"

"More than anyone and far more than I trust myself."

"Are you capable of love?"

"...I am not sure how much stock I would put in such an admission."

"So you lied to me when you told me that you loved me?"

"Never. I love you endlessly," he spoke quickly before he could stop himself. "It is the one certainty I own in this life. I just don't deserv..."

"If you finish that ugly, untrue statement I will cut off your hand with my lightsaber. Apparently losing a limb is a Skywalker family trait." She thought she heard the lightest snicker in the known universe. A soft noise that was barely a noise at all, but carried a trace of amusement. And then she felt him smile against her. "Who do I love, Ben?" Rey asked him again, curling her arm around the one over around her middle.

"It should not be me."

The uncertainty within in his voice shook her. "I do not believe I gave you a vote in the matter of who I love." She felt him bow his head to her, stricken with such dark emotion she gasped. From the very pit of his soul he did not feel worthy of love or anything good. But she also felt that he knew that wasn't true. That he had been wrong about a great many things. A wealth of conflict swept through him, but she had faith in him. In his heart. They both had demons to slay that would take years and all the orgasms in the galaxy wouldn't make all the wrong things right in one night. But this was their true start and she knew it. "I will ask you for the last time. Who do I love?"

"Me," he whispered a relief and a prayer all at once. That single word freed and bound him to her for all time. Authenticity laced her Force-signature. "You love me."

"I do," Rey replied while caressing his forearm. "I love you with all that I am. And I truly thought I would need more time to figure us out. To figure me out as well. But of all of the things that are unclear in my life, how I feel about you isn't one of them. Tonight simply illuminated that fact in greater detail." 

Rey continued, "I am smart enough to know that nothing is promised to us. We are not immune to tragedy. We are not owed a good and joy-filled life. There are no guarantees in life, so I choose to live in the moment. I choose to fight for the life I want. I choose to no longer waste my tears on those that didn't want to be a part of my life. I choose to be brave and dive into the unknown. I choose to go after what I want and I will live with the consequences. I choose that accountability. I choose love. And I choose to love you with all that I am. I choose you, Ben. And that will never change. Not even when the last star dies out."

Tender emotion detonated within his heart, laying waste to anything that wasn't Rey. Her love illuminated a path to a future he could never have fathomed. He was even starting to believe that there was good in him. That even if he didn't see it, he trusted that she did. He trusted her.

Ben knew that he loved her. Knew that over time he needed to find a way to love himself. Kylo Ren was the author of atrocities - Ben Solo desired to be the author of redemption and peace. The long, hard road ahead wouldn't paved with the forgiveness of a grateful universe. What he'd done could not be undone. But going forward he swore to be a better man even if most of the galaxy hated him even after the Republic was restored. He'd earned that. Knew he'd have to live with it. 

But maybe, just maybe he might dare dream of a time where he and his mother reconnected. Maybe Chewie and Lando might forgive him just enough to... Maybe it was okay to dream of good things and not fear them. Ben sighed, "Rey Solo has a nice ring to it."

"Ben and Rey Solo sounds even nicer." Snuggling warmly against him, Rey let that emotionally sink in as she fell into the most blissfully peaceful sleep of her entire life, lying in his arms, the rhythmic beat of his heart lulling her to sleep. Nothing else was said.

Nothing else needed to be said.

 

****** 

Day 40

******

 

Onboard "The Liberator"  
Home-base of the Resistance  
Docking Bay 11

 

Surrounded by a large company of Resistance fighters, C3PO, R2D2. BB8, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker and Resistance General Leia Organa - Poe Dameron stood before them as their leader. Though known for possessing a near legendary impulsiveness and penchant for risk taking, he delivered a deliberate commitment to detail as he addressed the three individuals about to risk their lives to save the entire galaxy. They were not just soldiers, but were his closest friends. Which made not going with them tough, but they all had their roles to play. His approach as the new leader of the Resistance, with so many lives affected by the decisions he made, forced him to own full accountability. And this mission was one they all had to get right. "Let's go over it again. I promise this will be the last time. Rose, you're up first."

Taking a step forward, Rose acknowledged those gathered here today. "My name is Lila Vawn and I'm an underworld arms smuggler from Coronet City on Correlia with a high proficiency in technical engineering," she began as Poe slowly circled her. She clutched the black strap of her gray gear-bag tighter to ward off the tension she was feeling. This mission was the biggest thing she had ever done in her life, and her sister's beloved memory was with her, always. "Rey found me on Coruscant's Lower Levels after I stole from the Black Sun crime organization and was on the run for nearly a year. She murdered a death squad to save my life, and I owed her a debt. I had nothing but the clothes on my back, so I began working for her as her personal pilot, using my knowledge and connections throughout the Inner Core to help her escape the First Order's notice. I have no interest or allegiance in either the Resistance or First Order. I will go where the credits are, but I am loyal to Rey because she saved my life and I fear her taking it if I don't do what she says. So for me, joining the First Order as Rey's attendant gives me access to power, information, and protection. If I want to remain breathing, then my loyalty to her must be unwavering." 

Poe paused at her side. The serious determination in her eyes was exactly what he wanted to see. "What did you steal from the Black Sun?"

"A cache of highly-advanced Coruscant Security Force weapons. I was actually stealing the weapons for the Black Sun until they tried to stiff me on half my credits. So I took the stash and bolted. To say they didn't like that end of our agreement would be an understatement."

"They ever see your face?"

"Never. I took great care in hiding my identity - Even my gender. I used a modified voice module and wore a helmet during all interactions with my handlers. Black Sun bounty hunters confirmed as much seeing as how no one had an accurate description of my face."

Poe studied a datapad in his right hand, ghosting over the official bounties posted by the Black Sun for Lila's capture or death. "What happened to the real Lila?"

"Bounty hunters tracked her to Ord Mantell seven standard months ago and lynched her over the side of a cliff after dismembering her legs, but were killed by a clan of pirates she ran with at the time. Those pirates cut a deal with the Resistance for supplies, and now I have a solid cover story. Yay me," Rose finished with a slight grin.

Rey had facilitated the insertion of Rose into her mission, which was cause for some concern. But what Rose lacked in experience behind enemy lines she made up for with a clever mind and endless courage. Her sister's memory was the catalyst and Poe knew that was a strong motivator. "Is everything verified?"

"Yes. Many times over. I'm ready"

"Good." Wasting no time, Poe pointed to his best friend. "Finn, you're up next."

Stepping forward, Finn found his voice. "My former First Order designation was FN-2187 of the FN Corps. Now I go by the name Finn. It's widely known I deserted the First Order on the Planet Jakku, escaping with Rey as we were   
pursued. Eventually we worked with Han Solo, General Leia Organa, and other Resistance leaders to combat the First Order. I was part of the attack on StarKiller base that resulted in its destruction and I battled Supreme Leader Ren along with Rey. But after killing my former superior officer, Captain Phasma, I escaped the Supremacy and rejoined what remained of the Resistance." 

As if summoning exactly who he needed to be, Finn wore a grim scowl that would have to match his cover story. "It was scattered and broken, lacking in every imaginable resource. Our numbers were nothing and our luck had run out. Nonetheless I was part of raiding parties on small First Order outposts for supplies. We attempted to marshal any support we could, but all our efforts were futile. We were too few, infected with infighting, differing viewpoints on what to do next, and a general lack of everything. We were starving, running for our lives, and had nowhere to go"

Finn continued, "After tracing an urgent distress call I was captured by Rey, who had embraced the Dark Side through Supreme Leader Ren. She offered me a place at her side due to my knowledge of the inner workings of the First   
Order. So with no allies left, no Resistance military, and no hope I joined her because it was that or death. She promised me protection and power, but wanted to know the location of the last Skywalkers. I fed her intel that led her to them, and she proceeded to kill them both. She told me she was going to join the First Order and that if I wanted to live and to gain influence, I would have to go back with her. But this time I would be given rank and protection. With no other options, and her Dark Side influence in my head I decided to defect back to the First Order."

Poe sighed as he knew his best friend detested violence. But this mission would call for it. "Are you prepared to kill to accomplish your mission?"

"Yes," Finn replied without hesitation.

"Are you prepared to die to accomplish your mission?"

"I'd prefer it not come to that," he joked lightly, earning a grin from Poe. "But yes. I am ready for that sacrifice. I think one thing we can all agree on is," he said as he peered around the sprawling hanger bay, "This war can't go on forever. It's gone on long enough. We have to end it. No matter what it takes." 

"Agreed." Poe almost wished he could go with them. Almost. But the work to be done with the resurgent Resistance was too important. "Rey, you're up."

Sensing a great shift in the Force, Rey cloaked her thoughts in who she had to me. "My name is Rey and I hail from an Inner Core world called Jakku. I met Finn there, who had recently defected from the First Order. In their pursuit we discovered the Millennium Falcon and eventually crossed paths with Han Solo and the Resistance. After being a part of the attack on StarKiller Base and dueling Kylo Ren, I set out to find Jedi Master Luke Skywalker on Ahch-To. I naively thought that he could turn the tide of the war. Though reluctant at first as he was mired in his own personal misery and unending guilt. Nevertheless, he began training me to become a Jedi - but I knew he was a shell of who he once was. He was not what I needed to grow my power. During that time I developed an unexpected Force-Bond with Kylo Ren and he began my seduction to the Dark Side. I know that he can show me the true nature of the Force. That culminated with me going to him and the death of Supreme Leader Snoke during Admiral Holden's suicide run. I fled for my life, delving deeper into my connection to the Dark Side, and finally gave in to its allure. I want power and I knew that if I killed and delivered the last Skywalkers to the new Supreme Leader, he would take me in and train me. After using Finn to find them, I murdered Luke and Leia on Bespin three standard days ago. I have their bodies in cryo-stasis to preserve them for testing by First Order scientists."

At that very moment Luke, Leia, Poe, Rey, Finn, and Rose quietly looked on as half dozen Resistance officers pushed two hover-coffins onboard the old Imperial shuttle that will be used to travel to the First Order base. The moment was cold and dark with its implications. Ominous, but necessary. This was the path to victory no matter the cost. There was no other way and all that were gathered here knew that,

Poe ran a weary hand through his hair as he addressed Rey. "I think you're all ready as you can be. These are your lives for the foreseeable future. We have no timeframe for victory. We have the basics of an ever-evolving plan. Stick to your stories!" he implored them. "Keep it simple, and be mindful that you can only trust each other and Ben Solo." He heard a groan or two from the Resistance members around him. "For this to work we have to trust Ben Solo one hundred percent. This doesn't work without him. So no matter how we feel, leave your personal feelings at the door. Detach the pain Kylo Ren has caused us all and focus on what we need to do. This mission takes priority over everything else in your life right now. No exceptions. We cannot undo the past, so we look forward."

Stepping aside, Poe relinquished the floor to Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. He walked to the center of the group, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Sheeve Palpatine did not raise an armada to combat the Republic when he took over," Luke declared to the masses. "He did not have an army of Sith. Instead, he played the long-game and infected the Republic from within. He corrupted and reshaped it. He waited until the right time and right pieces were in place. Only then did he institute a great shift. He manipulated the Senate to him support it even though it took their voice and freedom away. He seized all of the power and they thanked him for it. He was a grand manipulator and very cunning." 

Luke allowed that dark history lesson to sink in before he moved on. "That is the blueprint for the plan we are about to undertake. What Rose, Finn, Rey, and Ben are going to do is dramatically evolve the First order from within. They will take command of its military, finances, and infrastructure. That is how we will win. They will infect, alter, and then evolve. While we on the outside will rebuild, train, and provide them with resources that will take command of key posts within the First Order, only now held by those loyal to the Resistance."

"We are in dark times, all of us. But the sunset is waiting if we fight for it." Luke sighed as his eyes met Rey's. He knew what it felt like to have the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders. He hopes he has prepared her to bear the burden that comes with the Force. "I have failed you with my absence for so long, but no more. I am with you until the end. An end that will be our victory."

Such reassurance was greatly appreciated and filled the crowd with a sense of renewed hope as cheers broke out. Finally, he stepped back so that General Leia could address them last.

"We stand on the precipice of great change," the legendary general began. "In the past we have tried to bring about the end of a war with war - and what was left bickered in its fragile state for decades in the belief that war would not return because the Jedi did." She looked around at the amazingly brave men and women gathered here today. Though their numbers might be small, their courage was not. "We were wrong. History has proven us wrong. And the galaxy suffered for our lack of judgment and foresight." 

A somber hush fell over the gathered as Leia continued. "The change I speak of is in our approach to not only winning this war, but our preparation for what comes after. As we see our brave soldiers off into their deadly mission, we must remained focused on a past we cannot afford to repeat. We must take command of the military and infrastructure of the First Order; but also be prepared for crafting a new Galactic Senate while forging a strong connection with the next Jedi Order. From Day 1 our goal must be a strong infrastructure! To that end we must remain vigilant in our duties. Take care of each other. Never forget all that we have lost to get here. Victory is not enough. We want to lay the foundation for a lasting peace. That is what we are fighting for. And we will win!"

Cheers erupted as the hanger soon filled with nearly every Resistance member onboard the ship, embracing each other in good cheer and belief that better days were ahead. Hope was something every single living person needed in life, and those gathered here today were filled with it. There was hard work ahead. Very hard work. Unpredictable work. Dark times for certain. But at the end of it they were all dedicated to seeing the First Order cast like ashes to the stars and the long-waited return of the Galactic Republic.

Of a true and lasting freedom.

After a long stare at the Falcon being repaired on the other end of the hanger, Rey turned when she felt a hand tap her shoulder. Master Skywalker captured her attention wearing a proud smile. "Master," she acknowledged respectfully.

"Someday in the future you will be addressed with that title as well," he noted without a trace of sarcasm. "The title doesn't matter, only the deeds done. You have worked so hard and overcome so much. I just want you to know how proud I am of you. And how much I believe in you."

The genuine kindness his words bestowed upon her were greatly appreciated. Rey stood that much taller in the wake of his praise. "Thank you, Master. I would not be as prepared as I am without your wisdom and guidance."

"Thank you for not giving up on me," Luke admitted with gratitude. "We, this complex, imperfect group of homeless freedom fighters are all looking to the future. We are all seeking redemption in some way. We must grow from our mistakes, learn from them, and move on. And we need leaders like you," he pointed to her. "So when you join the First Order, never forget who you are and what you stand for. You cannot be broken and you know this. Trust in the Force and yourself. You are ready for this."

"I could not agree more," Leia chimed in from behind Rey, wrapping a gentle arm around her as they drew closer. "We believe in all three of you... and in Ben." She trembled ever so, but waved off Rey's concern. "Be adaptable to   
change, Rey. Gather all of the knowledge that you can about everything going on around you. Become a student of the First Order and galactic affairs. Work with your team and trust in their counsel. I've seen what amazing things a small group of people can accomplish. And I am so very proud of you."

Rey hugged Leia tightly, enjoying the moment as it would likely be a long time before they were reunited again. Settling her emotions, she said, "You have both changed my life and I owe you everything. I want you to know we will end the First Order and I will return with Ben. I swear it. This family that was broken will be reformed. It is the will of the Force." 

Luke looked to Leia, sharing an expression born of the many years of their lives. "The young are so hopeful."

Leia tilted her head, wearing a soft grin. "We were young once, right?"

"Maybe in another life," he teased lightly.

"I remember being young," Leia replied cheekily, and then decided to tease Rey. "All the fun I had on Han's ship." 

"I'm sure you have countless stories of adventures I would love to hear," Rey said.

"Oh, I was referring to all the sex I had on it." Luke rolled his eyes and walked off with a snort, while Rey looked positively mortified. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. "May the Force be with you, Rey."

Speechless and blushing, Rey struggled to reply, but resolved that another hug would convey it all. "May the Force be with you too, General."

"Take care of him," Leia whispered in Rey's ear, holding onto her hands between them. The emotion of what she wanted to convey wasn't from the General, but the Mother. "I miss him so much, and there is so much I do to understand. But tell Ben that I love him. That Han always, always loved him. And that my arms will welcome him home without hesitation."

"I will. I promise."

Moments later Leia watched Rey, Finn, Poe and Rose talk amongst themselves from afar - animated and heart-felt, the goodbyes were always the toughest during a time of war. Of such uncertainty. She felt through the Force their love and admiration for one another, and their commitment to victory. They strengthen her as well, this grand new generation. 

And then she felt it. A presence through the Force. Barely a tickle of her subconscious, but it was there. The plan was truly progressing now. "She is as ready as we could prepare her to be."

'You have all done well. And she followed my instructions without fail. Her parents would be so proud... as I am so proud of you and Luke. You are forever in my heart.'

Feeling her eyes wet with tears, Leia heard her mother's voice softly fade. She could not see her, but somehow through the Force this was possible. Perhaps all things were possible. "I believe Anakin visited Ben." The mere mention of his name earned a pause and a weary sigh.

'Likely because Ben was finally able to accept the truth about Darth Vader. But I would not know for certain. We are denied each other...' 

There was heartbreak in her voice. Leia swallowed hard in the back of her throat to ward off the emotion of hearing about her birth Father and the love he once shared with her Mother. Her feelings for him were still complicated and she wasn't sure that would ever change. "Rey and Ben will bring the First Order to its knees."

'And yet the galaxies greatest threat is not an enemy of today,' Padme Skywalker spoke quietly through the ether of the Force. 'But a great evil from the past reborn.' 

Leia felt the connection break, and knew that her mother's presence was gone. And as her eyes rose to the old Imperial shuttle as it took off into deep space, she felt equal parts hope and dread at Padme's ominous warning. "May the Force be with us all," she whispered to herself.

**Author's Note:**

> The End
> 
>  
> 
> The next part in this still untitled series: 
> 
> "Darker"


End file.
